Fair Winds
by onekisstotakewithmex
Summary: In a small lakeside tourist town, Kate Todd is a reluctant florist still reeling from a recent tragedy, and Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a widowed newcomer with only one reason for staying: he's building a boat. Both have their own private pasts they would rather forget, but somewhere in a single summer, love finds a way. Kibbs, Kelly!lives, heavily AU, Updated Weds. ON HIATUS as of Feb 6
1. Chapter 1

There was talk in the shop that morning about a new person in town. Kate, already irritable and sweaty from the heat of an Indiana June day, wasn't surprised nor impressed by the gossips that frequented her shop.

The old ladies would stand there gossiping among the plaid paper that their flowers were wrapped in, and the fragrant flowers of Kate's trade, as though it was high tea at the Plaza hotel, and not a flower shop in the middle of nowhere.

"What does it matter?" she called from the counter, where she was wrapping up some flowers. Lake Allen was a tourist town. "There are new people here at least every week."

"No, no, this is different." Mrs. Abernathy declared.

"Yes, this one's staying for the whole summer!"

"Probably unemployed," Mrs. Chisholm sniffed.

Kate rolled her eyes, handing the bouquet of daisies to Mrs. Abernathy. "Don't you ladies have something better to do than stand around and gossip in here?"

They all turned to see her leaning against the counter, remembering that they weren't alone in the flower shop. Mrs. Chisholm broke the silence first, "Well, ladies, I just remembered, I have to meet Gavin down by the docks."

"Taking you on another boat ride is he?" Mrs. Abernathy smirked.

"Well of course, he still thinks he might get a chunk of my inheritance." Still gossiping about the benefits of having summer dalliances with younger men, the trio of women left, the bell tinkling above the door as they did.

Kate sagged back into a seat, trying to relax. She untied the back of her plaid apron, and wondered if ten in the morning was too early to take a lunch break. She turned in her seat, reaching up and turning on the radio. It crackled with static and poor reception, and faded in and out for a second, before settling on her favourite station.

She stretched in her chair, irritable from being cooped up behind the counter. All she really wanted to do was go home and curl up below the blankets again, ignoring the events of the last three weeks. Sleep until fall, when the town dried up again. She closed her eyes, daydreaming. The tourists were just starting to arrive, she had a chance to relax before things really got busy…

The door opened, just as she was humming along to the song playing on the radio. Her head snapped up, her eyes flying open, only to find her best friend shaking her head as she stared down at her.

"You really picked the worst time to take a nap, K."

"Mer," she stretched again. "What time is it?"

"Almost eleven."

"Shit, was I dozing that long?" She stood up, retying the strings of her plaid apron, noticing that her clothes underneath were sticking to her with sweat. First order of business: get a new work uniform.

"Are you sure you're good to work?" Whatever Meredith was carrying, it had the fragrance of food. No doubt from the café.

"I told you, I'm fine. I need the distraction. If I sit at home all summer, then I'm going to lose my mind."

"Why can't Dan or Rachel do it?" Meredith asked, crossing her arms.

"They have their own lives."

"They're supposed to get involved too, Kate. You shouldn't have to do it by yourself."

Kate frowned as she looked at her best friend, self-consciously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She sighed, "One summer won't kill me, Mer. Now, did you bring me food?"

"I did. A nice grilled cheese and a coffee."

"Wow. I love you," she said with such heartfelt gratitude that Meredith laughed.

"I know, I know. I love you too. Hey come by the café soon, okay? Drew and I have a little something for you."

"A one-way ticket to a tropical paradise?" Kate asked, brightening.

"No." Mer handed over the bag, "Don't go eating it all at once."

"Hey. Thanks, Really."

She leaned over the counter and kissed Kate on the forehead, "Take care of yourself sweetheart." And then she was gone, leaving Kate to sit alone at the counter, fighting off the urges to put her head down and sleep.

The phone rang, jarring her out of it. She grabbed at it quickly, her heart pounding in her chest. "Highland Flowers, Kate speaking."

"Is Jean there?"

"May I ask who's calling?" she leaned against the shelves, turning down the radio.

"It's Mr. Alexander. From the Sunshine Cottages? On the lake?"

"Hey, Mr. Alexander. What can I do for you?"

"I was looking for your grandmother, young lady."

"I'm afraid it's just me right now." She laughed, nervously, biting at the edge of her nail as she waited for an answer. It was a nervous response, usually preceding the start of a breakdown.

"Oh… I see. Well… I have a customer here who will be staying the whole summer, and I was wondering if I could send him to you? He inquired about fresh flowers, and your place was the only one I could think of."

"Sure, Mr. Alexander. That's fine. Send him on by this afternoon. Or whenever is convenient. And say hi to your wife for me."

"Thank you Caitlin." He hung up, and she set the phone back in its cradle. From below the counter, she pulled her latest paperback, a ragged mystery novel she'd borrowed from Meredith's husband. Opening the paper bag, she dug into her lunch, before turning the radio back up.

She couldn't sing worth a damn, but she would enjoy herself, damn it. Maybe even treat herself to dinner later that night. Or considering her appetite as of late, she would have a glass of wine and go to bed.

 **XNCISX**

She was going through the fresh flowers, making an arrangement for the restaurant, cursing to herself as she realized she really didn't have an eye for it. She was also singing along to the radio, twirling around with the sunflowers _, "Here comes the sun…."_ she was humming to herself, barely hearing the bell over the door chime.

She whirled around, only to see a man and an adorable young girl, standing in front of her. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, as she stopped singing.

He grinned at her, "Would you be the owner of this fine establishment…" he took in the disheveled clothing and hair, and the plaid apron, "Ma'am?"

"Yes." She stuck out a hand, feeling idiotic, "I'm Kate."

"Nice place to work," he gestured around them, not giving his name, "Surrounded by flowers all day."

"Except during allergy season," she replied dryly.

He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. The young girl with him was looking through the flowers, sniffing a few here and there. She couldn't be much older than ten. "Quite the theme you've got goin'. I was expectin' thistles."

"Hilarious. I've only heard that joke about seven hundred times since I started working here," she leaned against the counter, "You still haven't told me your name, but I'd guess you're the mysterious new man in town."

He was baffled, "What gave it away? The kid with me? The charm?"

"No, the gossipy ladies in the shop this morning. You better not stay here too long," she leaned in, "Or they'll be announcing our engagement within the week."

He looked surprised for a second, and then cleared his throat, "Mr. Alexander sent me. To get flowers. For my cottage." The little girl glared at him, and he amended his statement. "Our cottage."

"So you really do want to stay here all summer? Are you crazy?" The words were out before she could stop them.

"Here until the end of September."

"Your job must have great vacation time."

"Well, we aren't all stuck wearin' plaid aprons, ya know."

"Thanks for the observation, Mr…?"

"Oh. Gibbs." He sighed, as if rehearsing a long speech. "Leroy Jethro Gibbs."

"And what brings you to Lake Allen, Leroy Jethro Gibbs?" She couldn't keep the smile from her face, but he merely smiled back, shaking his head.

"I came to build a boat," he said, looking her in the eye. His eyes were blue, the exact blue of the curtains in her little house.

"A boat? Ambitious."

"Dad?" The girl called. She and Gibbs both turned.

"Yeah, Kelly, what is it?"

"Can we get sunflowers?" she asked.

"'Course we can. Anything ya want."

"I want sunflowers."

"Kelly. That's a pretty name," Kate offered. "To match a pretty girl."

Gibbs' smile faded a bit, but then amped up again when he saw that she'd noticed. "She looks like her mom, not me."

Kate looked at his hand, only to notice that he, much like herself, did not wear a wedding ring. But the living proof of a coupling was right in front of her. He noticed she was observing him.

"Kelly?" she asked.

The girl smiled back at her, "You said your name was Kate right?"

"Yeah. Do you want help picking out your flowers?" she offered.

"No. I've got it."

"Well if you pick ten, I'll give you two for free. A dozen, fair and square."

Kelly smiled, before noticing Kate's book on the counter. "What are you reading?"

"A murder mystery. You like books?"

Kelly nodded, staring with interest at the book. "Yeah. Definitely."

"She made me lug six tons of books here for the summer. Doesn't know the meanin' of the word _outside,_ " he ruffled a hand through Kelly's hair, as she grinned and smacked it away.

"Dad!"

"Well, Kelly," Kate started wrapping the flowers she'd picked, "I'll have you know that I have an entire library of books, and if you want to borrow them, you can come anytime. If it's okay with your dad, of course."

"Am I welcome too?" he asked.

"I just assumed you'd be too busy with this boat-building scheme you've got." She handed over the flowers. "ten dollars please."

"For such a nice arrangement? How are ya keepin' afloat when you undercharge for such pretty flowers?"

"Prices are set. Take them or leave them." She said, crossing her arms.

"Daaaad." Kelly sighed, grabbing the ten from her father and smacking it on the counter. "Stop teasing her."

Gibbs shook his head, with an eye roll towards his daughter, before turning to Kate. "Where can I get some good food in this town, Miss…?"

"Oh." She realized she hadn't told him her last name. "Todd. Kate Todd. And you can try the Anchor Diner. They have good food, and the milkshakes are to die for."

Kelly piped up. "Are there mozzarella sticks?"

"Are those your favorite?" Kate asked. When Kelly nodded, she grinned. "Mine too. You have to try them, they're amazing. And they definitely have them at the diner. And if you go them, tell them that you know me. You'll get a great deal." She winked at Kelly, who smiled back.

Until Gibbs had to ruin it. "Ya tryin' to imply that we're some kinda charity case?"

"If I am, I'm only repaying you in kind!" she snapped.

"What's that supposed to mean, Katie?"

"I told you, my name is Kate!" She opened the cash register, stuffing the money in with aggression. "And telling me I undercharge on flowers, when in fact I have owned this business for a whopping three weeks."

"I'm sure you've done a fine job." It was likely meant to diffuse tension, but it only served to make her feel worse.

"Well, y'know," she said, glaring at him, "it's amazing what someone with little business experience can do. And at least I have employment for the summer."

"Touché." He nodded. "I believe this round goes to ya, Kate. See ya around." Kelly followed him out the door, and Kate collapsed against the counter, sighing. Her head was pounding. She hadn't eaten in hours. And her verbal battle with that infuriating man had only delayed closing time. She locked up the shop, deciding it was definitely time to head home.

 **XNCISX**

She was sitting on the back porch, staring out at the sunset, a glass of wine beside her. The wind coming off the lake was chilly, but she didn't feel like moving. The birds were chirping, and the mosquitos would be out soon, but what did it matter?

She was embarrassed about how she'd acted earlier. The only man in town who didn't know her, and she'd likely chased him far away. At least his daughter had seemed friendly.

But what had been up with the ambiguous answer? _I came to build a boat._

Who came to a tourist town in the middle of Indiana, far away from any decent pretense of civilization to build a boat? He could probably build one in his own basement, if he was so inclined. And yet, here she was, judging the life of strangers.

Her stomach growled, but she ignored it, deciding instead to go watch a movie. She stood up, only to realize that her back door was jammed. Sighing, she walked the length of the house on the wraparound porch, letting herself in the front door instead. And yet she paused at her door.

Lying on her welcome mat was a single sunflower, a little wilted from the heat of the day. There was no note or anything with it, just a solitary flower lying there like an apology. Or a reproach. She picked it up, walking inside and putting it in a vase on her bedside table.

And then she crawled into bed, deciding that she had had enough for one day. She stuck her nose against the faded quilt of her bed, trying to smell the lingering scent of flowers and lavender hand cream, finding herself close to tears when she realized the scent was fading.

She fell asleep to the sound of waves on the lake, trying not to cry.


	2. Chapter 2

"You look like hell."

She looked up from her coffee to glare at Drew, who was serving her. He grinned down at her, and she simply lay her head down on the counter. "You sure know how to compliment a woman, Drew. How you landed Meredith is beyond me."

"He's really good with his hands," Mer said, walking out of the kitchen, carrying Kate's breakfast. She wrinkled her nose, staring at it. The thought of food made her ill at the moment.

"Christ, Mer, I didn't need to know that."

Mer grinned down at her, "Aren't you so glad you came back?"

"Yeah. It's like I never left. I had to drag myself out of bed at the crack of dawn because the phone was ringing."

"Let me guess, it's your dumbass brother."

"He's coming home in a month," Kate rolled her eyes.

"Has he developed an accent yet?"

"No. But he has a girl he wants me to meet."

Mer wolf-whistled. "For you or for him?"

Kate would have punched her, but felt it was a bit rude in her own restaurant. "Shut up," she grumbled instead, accepting the plate of food. "How much do I owe you?" she asked, looking back up, but Meredith was gone, the kitchen door swinging.

She turned to Drew, who shrugged and handed her the entertainment and crime sections of the newspaper, before he went back to the personal ads.

Meredith returned a few minutes later, looking a bit shakier on her feet. "So," she drawled, leaning against the counter, "You meet the new guy yet?"

"What new guy?" she was absorbed in reading about some minor political scandal, happy that she was no longer in Washington.

"The one who's staying on the lake for the whole summer. C'mon Kate, you're supposed to keep up on the gossip!"

Kate finally looked up from her paper again, "Okay, I'll bite. Have you met the new guy?"

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs, from Washington DC." Meredith smile down at her, with a certain smugness she reserved for having the best gossip in town, and serving it up the way she did her meatloaf. "With his daughter."

"Kelly. She's adorable." Drew called. "I mean, I don't like kids, but… she'd make me reconsider."

"How old is she?" Kate asked, no longer impressed with Drew's stance on having kids. He and Meredith had been married for barely three months, and their life was essentially the diner.

"Ten."

"Huh."

"He's not married, y'know." Meredith grinned as she leaned in to whisper that information.

"But you are." Drew went back to his newspaper as he said it.

Meredith rolled her eyes, "Oh, Drew, it's not for me, it's obviously for Kate! She needs all the love she can get right now!"

"No thanks." She sipped her coffee. "I am perfectly content in my house on the lake."

"No you're not. Your eyes are bloodshot." Mer was unimpressed. "We need to find you someone, K. It isn't healthy to be in that house all alone."

"I'll get a dog then," she grumbled.

"No, what you need is someone to talk to." Meredith was shaking her head.

"Stop acting like you know better than I do." Kate swatted at her.

"You always said you wanted another sister, so that's what I'm giving you."

"What you're giving me is a lecture, when all I really want is my coffee."

"Make that two coffees." Kate turned around in surprise at the familiar voice, nearly falling off her stool. There was a warm hand against her back, and she frowned at him. She was still stinging from their discussion the previous day. She'd had half a mind to go up later and give them some flowers in apology. He nodded at her, moving his hand away. "Mornin' Kate."

"Good morning, Mr. Gibbs."

"Well, actually," he smacked something down on the counter and she choked on her coffee when she realized it was a badge. "That's Agent Gibbs to you, Miss Todd."

She spun around again, crossing her arms. Kelly giggled a little, before hopping onto the stool beside hers. "Morning Kate. Ignore dad. He's grumpy."

"He's not the only one," Drew murmured, hidden behind his paper.

"Kate, I didn't know you knew… Agent Gibbs." Meredith's lips curled into a smirk.

Kate rolled her eyes. "We met briefly yesterday. Unfortunately for both of us."

Gibbs chuckled, before noticing her nearly empty mug. "Mrs. Brennan?"

Meredith made a face, "Let me let you in on a little secret here, Agent Gibbs. Mrs. Brennan is my mother-in-law. I'm just… Mer."

"Mer." He held her gaze for a second, smiling. "Two coffees please. Katie here is running low."

Mer grinned. "Want anything in your coffee? Cream? Sugar?"

"Nope. Nothing in either coffee."

Kate turned to him, frowning, as she disappeared into the kitchen. "I didn't ask for a coffee."

She also didn't need him to call her Katie. But that was beside the point.

"Looked like ya need it this mornin'."

"Presumptuous of you there, _Agent_ Gibbs." She took a sip of her coffee. "What agency? FBI? DOD? CIA?"

"I'm gonna stop you before you go through the whole alphabet, and just tell ya- NCIS."

She smirked, deciding to play with him. "National Crop Insurance Services?"

"Hilarious." He said deadpan.

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service?" Kate offered, and she saw his eyes widen in surprise.

From behind his newspaper, Drew called out, "Never heard of you guys."

"It's okay, Drew. They deal with crimes involving the Navy and Marine Corps."

"Very good, Miss Todd." Gibbs smiled. "Gold star."

Kelly was giggling, as Meredith walked back out with the coffees, setting them down in front of both Kate and Gibbs. Gibbs was watching her as she took a sip of coffee. Somehow she managed not to spit it back out, considering it had probably been percolating since the year she was born. She coughed, setting it down. "Strong," she muttered, staring at him.

He grinned. "Strong is better."

"Ahem." Meredith cleared her throat, "Any breakfast, Gibbs?"

He turned to her, "I'm okay."

"Well I'm not, I'm starving," Kelly cut in, leaning on the counter and giving Meredith a smile. "Can I have pancakes?"

"Sure. Whipped cream and strawberries?"

"No." Gibbs muttered, sipping his coffee.

"Yes!" Kelly overruled him with a smile, and he just rolled his eyes, nodding at Meredith.

"Coming right up. Kate, you want anything else?"

She yawned, taking another sip of the lake scum that passed for Gibbs' strong coffee. "Nope. Unless you have leftover pizza?"

"Yeah. At home. In my fridge. Nice try."

"I will gladly walk there and eat your cold pizza."

"Go on your lunch break." Meredith glanced at the clock above the door to the kitchen, "Speaking of, Kate, you've got an appointment in ten minutes."

"Oh! Crap!" Kate hauled herself off the stool, as Kelly giggled. "How much do I owe you?"

Mer rolled her eyes, "Bouquets for the church dinner."

"When's the church dinner?"

"Tomorrow."'

Kate rolled her eyes, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Damn it." She looked sideways at Kelly with a guilty glance. "Sorry Kelly."

Kelly smiled, "Nothing I haven't heard when dad hits his thumb with a hammer."

Gibbs shot a look at his daughter, "Thanks Kelly. Doin' wonders for my image in this town."

"What image?" Kelly asked back.

Kate grinned. Meredith was shaking her head and clucking like a nervous mother hen. "Kate, for your next day planner, I'm buying you a day planner."

"And for _your_ next birthday, I'm buying you a trip far away, so you can mind your own business for once." She took off for the flower shop, trying to ignore the two pairs of eyes she knew for certain were burning into her back.

 **XNCISX**

After finishing up with her appointment- preliminary flower arrangements for a baptism- Kate put together a bunch of daisies to bring to Gibbs as an apology. Or at least payback for the single sunflower left on her porch the previous night.

She walked down the dirt road, looking for cottage number 12, where Mr. Alexander had told her that Gibbs was staying. There was a Jeep parked in front of the little cottage, and no one was on the porch. No one answered when she knocked, so she walked around to the back, hoping to find them.

She saw Kelly before seeing Gibbs. Kelly was sprawled on the porch swing, reading, and swinging lazily back and forth in the afternoon heat. "Hey Kelly."

She looked over at her, and smiled. "Hey Kate! Busy day?"

"Yeah. I brought some flowers."

And then she nearly dropped the flowers when she heard from behind her. "Kate?"

She turned around. "Hi. I brought flowers… for Kelly."

"If that's what you want to call it," Kelly said in a sing-song voice from behind her.

Gibbs took the daisies from her. "You brought us flowers… what a gentleman."

"You're hilarious. You're also covered in sawdust."

"Well what did you think I'd make a boat out of? Chocolate?" He seemed offended.

"That sounds good to me dad!" Kelly called.

He turned. "Anythin' would sound good to you if it meant you could eat it."

"Your point?" Kelly asked.

Kate grinned, watching the two of them. Gibbs turned back to her. "Told ya I was building a boat. Didn't believe me?"

"Thought it was ambitious. Still do."

"Ye of little faith." He was offended. "Tell you what, when I finish the damn boat, you will be the first person I will sail it with."

"Uh huh." Kate wasn't impressed. "That's if you finish it before the end of summer, Mr. Federal Agent. Or at least until you get called back to DC."

He snorted. "So cynical. Didn't I tell ya… I'm not leaving until I finish the boat."

"Once again, I am stunned and amazed." Her sarcasm was evident and he raised an eyebrow. "And will continue to be stunned and amazed if it turns out you really aren't just a yes-man for the feds in DC."

"Speaking from experience, Katie?"

"No. And seriously, what's with the calling me _Katie,_ anyway?"

He shrugged. "Sounds nice, don't it?"

She took a deep breath, "Just take the damn flowers, Gibbs. Even say thank you."

"Thank you, Miss Todd." He took the flowers from her, offering a charming smile.

"What are you doing for the rest of the afternoon?" Kelly asked.

"Nothing. I mean…" she gestured at the daisies. "Selling flowers."

"Maybe I can come keep you company?" Kelly offered.

"If it's okay with your dad." Kate turned to him.

He smiled back at her, trying to look as non-threatening as possible. "Only if you'll give us a tour of the town tonight. Say I come back at five?"

"Sure. The store closes at four-thirty."

He shook his head, gesturing at her daughter. "Take care of her, or I'll hurt you, pretty flower lady or not."

"Is that a threat now, Gibbs? And after I bought you flowers and everything!"

"I'm getting' the sense that gender roles don't mean much to ya."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

He leaned in close and whispered, "Usually it's the men who are supposed to buy flowers."

She pulled away, smirking. "Us small town girls gotta take care of ourselves. Besides the flowers aren't for you, Sawdust boy."

"You wound me, Katie." He held a hand to his chest, setting the flowers down on the porch rail. "Do you treat all the boys like this?" he narrowed his eyes. "All the girls?"

"Nice try, Mr. Interrogation. Go profile somebody else."

He blinked. "How did ya know that I was profilin' ya?"

"Oh." She stuttered. "Oh- it's- nothing. I was guessing. Watch a lot of court TV?"

He nodded, but he was smirking. "Nice try. I'll get the truth one way or another. And by the way…" he called as he turned away, "Ya got dandelion fluff in ya hair."

She swatted at her hair, Kelly grinned as she followed her back into town. As they walked, a breeze smelling of the lake blew past them.

"You know, dad actually likes you." Kate turned and looked back at Kelly, who was grinning as she walked along.

"Does he? Does he treat all the women he likes like that?"

"No. Should have seen his wife."

"Your mom?" Kate asked.

Kelly rolled her eyes. "No. Wife number three."

Kate winced. "Wife number _three_?"

"Yep."

"Wh-."

"My mom was number one." Kelly offered.

"Did something happen to her?"

"She died." Kelly was suddenly wary, watching her. "I don't even remember her."

"Yeah." Kate sighed, "I know the feeling."

"What about your mom?" Kelly asked, as they got closer to the flower shop, the plaid awning flapping in the slight breeze that barely eased the oppressive heat of the day.

"She died too. When I was little."

"That's sad." Kelly stopped walking, frowning for a second, before running to catch up with Kate. "What about siblings?"

"A brother and a sister. Neither of them live here anymore."

Kelly nodded. "I used to want a little brother."

"Trust me, Kelly, you don't want siblings." Kate grinned.

"I also don't want another stepmother."

"I don't blame you. Your dad… he gets around?"

"No. He's just… trying." Kelly shrugged uneasily.

Kate noticed her discomfort. "So, tell me… what do you like to read?"

Kelly brightened, and immediately launched into a detailed description of the two books she had read on the trip so far. Kate recognized the title of one, which meant that they could debate about the merits about the book. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun talking to someone who wasn't an adult.

 **XNCISX**

They were sitting in lawn chairs under the awning, now that the store was closed for the day. The heat of the day was finally turning into the coolness of the evening. Kelly and Kate both had popsicles from the store's freezer, and were trying to relax, waiting for Gibbs to show up.

"You better not be spoiling your dinner."

Kate cracked open an eyelid, feeling like her tongue was frozen all of a sudden. Gibbs was standing there, smirking at both of them, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows in the heat.

"Are you talking to me or Kate?" Kelly asked, finishing off her Popsicle.

"Depends. Am I feeding both of you?"

Kate stood up, "I said I'd give you a tour. Dinner really isn't necessary."

"I have to do something to reclaim my gentleman status, after the flowers you brought."

"What gentleman status?" Kate asked, trying to be annoyed and failing.

He chuckled, "Can ya ever just accept anything offered?"

"No. Not how I was raised."

"Then consider it a thank you." He was standing over her, and she felt very much at a disadvantage, immediately standing up. Of course, she was still shorter, but she felt a little more powerful. "Any place around here that does takeout?"

"Gibbs, you don't know the first thing about tourist towns. Of _course_ there are places that do takeout."

"Then let's get takeout and you can come back. We can eat on our dock." He held out a hand. "After you give us a tour of course."

"But dad," Kelly sighed. "I'm hungry _now._ "

He raised an eyebrow, "Kelly, you're _always_ hungry."

Kelly shrugged. "True. Doesn't change that I'm hungry."

"You just finished a popsicle!"

"Okay, let's forget food for a second!" Kate stepped between them. "Tour?"

"How about after dinner, since Little Miss Hollow Leg here is apparently starvin'." She could tell he wasn't really upset with his daughter, who smiled innocently up at him. "Let's go get pizza."

Kate perked up, "I will never turn down a good pizza."

"And yet ya don't eat breakfast."

"In my defence, I don't eat when I don't sleep well," she retorted. Never mind that she rarely slept well anymore.

"All right. What did you ladies get up to this afternoon?" he asked, as they started walking downtown.

"I learned a new curse word." Kelly smiled at Kate, who glared back.

Gibbs merely shrugged. "Was bound to happen if you stuck around this afternoon anyway."

"You aren't angry at me for corrupting your daughter?"

"She lives with a former Marine, and federal agent, and her favourite babysitter is another federal agent. There's nothing left to corrupt."

"Also Kate said she'd show me her library on the tour!"

Gibbs eyed Kate. "If I have to lug around one more box of books, Kate, I swear to God…"

"I said she could borrow them. I'm not sending her home with them- unless I really feel like it." They arrived at the pizza place, accordion music coming from inside. Kate held out a hand. "Want dinner right now?"

"Yes!" Kelly answered before her father had the chance.

"Then let me go in there and order. What do you guys want?"

Gibbs shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me."

"Pepperoni and four types of cheese."

"Are you both okay with green peppers?" Kate asked.

Kelly nodded but Gibbs wrinkled his nose. "Vegetables?" he asked.

"Dad hates vegetables," Kelly whispered loudly to Kate.

Kate grinned. "Sorry Gibbs, but if I'm paying, you're eating the damn vegetables."

"I will not. And I'm payin'."

"No you're not, and stop acting like you're five. Vegetables won't kill you."

"It's a pizza, it isn't supposed to be healthy."

Kate just left him behind without continuing to argue the merits of vegetables on pizza. She would convince him later- or she just would withhold the pizza until he agreed with her. She wasn't above playing dirty to get what she wanted. It had suited her in Washington, and somehow she figured- he wouldn't mind.

When she got back outside with the fragrant pizza box burning her hands, she could have sworn that both father and daughter lit up at the sight of the pizza box. On the walk back through town, Kate was watching Gibbs, who was apparently trying to feign that he wasn't hungry.

Kelly opened her mouth to say something, but all they heard was her stomach grumbling. Kate started laughing at the look on her face, and Kelly joined in after a minute.

"So, Kate… clearly this is your home turf," Gibbs started.

"Yes…" she said, wary of where the conversation was going. "Why?"

"I'm just… wonderin'. Ya just seem…. Like ya don't want to be here."

"Does anyone ever really want to be stuck in a small town?" she asked in response, as they walked up the dirt road to the cottage.

"Here. Go around to the dock. I'll grab paper towels." Gibbs offered.

"I got them, dad." Kelly went on ahead of him, leaving the two of them to walk around to the dock, awkwardly.

"Well no. No one ever really wants to be stuck anywhere. But are ya really stuck?"

"No. I guess not. It's kind of my own fault, really. I came back."

"Why?"

"Just, y'know, family reasons."

"Do you still have family here?"

She crossed her arms. "What is this, an interrogation?"

"I'm just sayin', you don't… this isn't where you want to be."

"And you know this, Mr. Profiler?" She was sarcastic.

"I don't need to be a profiler, to see that you're unhappy."

She felt tears welling up in her eyes suddenly. "I'm perfectly happy, Gibbs. I don't like what you're implying."

"You barely eat. You work all day. And you're not exactly the friendliest."

"What's your point?" she snapped. "I was unaware I had to suddenly be a customer service expert!"

"Which only further proves my point." He touched her shoulder gently. "Katie… what did ya give up to come here? What did ya leave behind?"

"Dad?"

Kate pulled away from him at the sound of Kelly's voice, before sinking into a dock chair, and opening the pizza box. She ignored the disappointed look on Gibbs' face, plastering on a smile, and turning.

"Who's hungry?"


	3. Chapter 3

She wasn't expecting anyone to find her in the garden. She had decided around five, when she couldn't toss and turn for another second, that instead of unsuccessfully trying to sleep, she would instead go watch the sunrise over the lake.

So, sitting in one of the chairs in her garden, she watched the sunrise, surrounded by the perfume of her garden. She still wasn't used to being here. It was her day off, at least. That much she had to give thanks for…

She drifted into a doze, sleeping in her lawn chair as the sun rose, the scent of flowers and the warmth making her sleepy. And then she snapped out of her doze at the sound of the garden gate opening.

"Kate, you're really looking to get yourself murdered. Sleeping in your backyard, honestly."

She turned around, wincing at the pain in her neck from her unorthodox sleeping position. "What do you want, Drew?"

"I came to bring you breakfast, since I didn't see you at the diner this morning."

"Sorry, I didn't sleep well." Drew crossed his arms, staring at her. She stared back, noticing that something was amiss. "Where's Mer?"

"Home sick."

"Sick?" she jumped to her feet, wrapping her ragged housecoat around herself, staring in incredulity. "She hasn't been sick in at least a decade."

"Well, she says she has a stomach flu…. And I'm not going to question it, since the first thing I heard this morning was her throwing up."

"Ew." Kate grimaced, "Wait. Don't come near me then, you're probably infected too!"

"You dimwit," he replied affectionately. "It's just food poisoning. We had fish for dinner last night, and apparently I didn't cook her piece right, so now she's home feeling sorry for herself."

"I'm going to bring her flowers." Kate remembered yet again, that she was still in her pajamas, and Drew was studiously not looking at her. "Is there something you're trying not to see here, Drew?"

"What? No. I don't need to see any more of you than I already have."

She grabbed the bag containing her breakfast, pulling her rob tighter around herself. "What time is it anyway?"

"Almost nine."

"Ooh." She tried to crack her back and failing, wincing as she did so. "Almost four full hours of sleep last night."

His shoulders sagged, watching her. "Kate…"

"What?"

"Maybe you should take some time off."

She turned to stare. "It's my day off. What more do you want?"

"No. I mean, close the shop for like a week. Or two. C'mon, Kate. Working yourself to death when you're not sleeping… it isn't healthy. You're going to get sick. Or hurt."

"I'm going to be fine, Drew. I just need to keep working."

"And why is that?" he demanded. "So you don't have to think every second of the day?"

She turned away, aware that tears were welling up in her eyes, digging her fingernails into her palm. She didn't want to think about how messed up she was. "My mind is clear."

"You may be the profiler, but I know you, Kate. I'm not an idiot. Neither is Meredith. We know that you're not sleeping. You're barely eating either. You spend all day locked in your stupid flower shop-,"

"Take that back!"

He paused, taken aback. "Take _what_ back?"

"The flower shop. It isn't stupid. Take it back." She was fumbling at her waist, trying to avoid thinking, trying to remember the feeling of a gun at her hip.

"Kate, I'm sorry. It slipped out!" He held up his hands, and she tried to ignore the mild expression of fear plainly on his face.

She handed him back the breakfast. "It's fine. Really. I'll make myself some lunch later." She turned around, and walked into the house, closing the door quietly. Surprisingly, Drew didn't follow. She went upstairs, and threw herself on the bed, the sun coming through her window like a spotlight, reminding her that she was the public face of the flower shop and of herself now. She'd lost weight and had dark circles under her eyes, but as long as she plastered on a smile for the people who mattered, who cared.

Plainly put, she was a mess. It didn't mean she needed Drew calling her on it. The phone pulled her out of her self-pity, and she hoped it wasn't anyone inquiring about why the damn shop wasn't open today. She had to pull up the best fake voice she could muster.

"Todd residence."

"Hey Katie."

She sat up in bed, the tears already tracking their way down her cheeks. She fought hard to keep her voice under control. "Hello Gibbs."

"You busy today?"

"Wh- No. It's my day off."

"Okay, Kelly was wondering. She went to the shop this morning and it was closed."

"Shit!" She slapped a palm against her hand. "Can you apologize to her for me? I'm honestly sorry for forgetting-,"

"Rule number six; never say you're sorry. It's a sign of weakness."

She took a deep breath, trying to avoid the urge to scream at him, and then pull a pillow over her head. "Okay."

He noticed, however hard she tried. "You okay, Katie?"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You sound upset."

"Just forget about it." She hung up, instantly feeling guilty again for not opening the shop. It was her only day off, but it didn't matter, because Kelly had been helping her for the past week, and Kate- total idiot that she was- had forgotten to tell her that the shop was closed on Fridays.

She pulled her pillow over her face and screamed into it for a few minutes. She tossed it aside, thinking that today would be the day she'd clean the house from top to bottom. But first, she had to see what she had in terms of food. Though the thought of food made her queasy, she knew she had to eat something, or she'd be passed out on the couch again by lunchtime. She wiped her face on the faded quilt, before heading downstairs and into the kitchen.

Her cupboards were practically bare, minus the gigantic tin of tea that was sitting in the pantry, and a box of Pop-Tarts.

She grabbed a Pop-Tart and stuck it in the toaster, suddenly not caring that this was quite possibly the worst breakfast she'd made for herself in ages.

Her cell phone, sitting discarded on the counter, rang. She looked at the ID on the screen, and then shoved it under a couch cushion. She didn't want to deal with any of it today.

There was a knock at the door just as her breakfast finished toasting, and she cursed, looking down at the ragged house coat, and even worse plaid pajamas. Grabbing the Pop-Tart from the toaster, she stuck it in her mouth, wincing at the heat, and walking towards the door. This had to be her lowest point.

The door opened, and Gibbs blinked at her. "Katie?" he asked.

"What?" she asked through a mouthful of Pop-Tart.

"First off, isn't your mouth burning? That looks hot."

She grabbed it from her mouth. "Well, I wasn't going to eat it raw."

He grinned. "Raw? Do you mean untoasted."

"Yeah," she insisted. "Raw."

"No one calls untoasted Pop-Tarts _raw,_ Katie."

"I do."

"Well, maybe you're crazy. I stopped by the diner, but you weren't there. Neither was Drew or Meredith. I got worried."

"We're all fine. I just sent Drew away. And Meredith is home sick today. I was going to put a bouquet together for her."

"I thought the store was closed today?"

"Well Gibbs, it's called a garden." She was really not in a good mood.

He stared at her, examining her for a few seconds, until she raised her eyebrows. "Done trying to profile me yet?"

"Why do you automatically assume I'm profiling you?"

"Because you wouldn't just stare at my face like that, Gibbs," she said, trying to be practical.

"Maybe I'm admiring what I see."

She blushed a little, "Oh." She stepped back. "Uh, do you want to come in?"

"Well, sure." He followed her into the dimly lit living room, which was messy, papers and books strewn all over the place. "Nice house."

"I know it's an unholy mess," Kate grumbled. "Want anything to eat?" And then she remembered that she actually didn't have any food in the house. "I mean-,"

He looked over again, trying not to smile. "I ate at our cottage."

"Where's Kelly?" she asked.

"She's hangin' out with Mrs. Alexander. The property owner's wife."

"I know her."

He grinned, settling at her dining table. "Why am I not surprised? Ya know everyone."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It ain't." He looked around. "Ya know, Katie, I gotta be honest. I had you pegged as a neat freak."

"I am." She paused. "Usually."

"Well, what exactly led to this?"

"Me hurriedly moving back here because of extenuating circumstances that I'd rather not explain so early in the morning?"

"You mean that you'll actually explain?"

"Don't answer my question with a question."

"Kate… are you trying to live out the next apocalypse in here?" he asked, looking around the small room. There weren't a lot of plants in the room, but a good amount of plaid. "Also, this was not the design style I pegged you for."

"Well." Her shoulders tensed, reminding her again that she was in pain from falling asleep in the garden. "You know, fun fact, it isn't my house. Or my furniture. All of my stuff is in storage back- nevermind. Let's just say that my siblings and I inherited the house and the shop, but I was the one who got left to run it because I was the only without a busy career already."

"What did you do before you sold flowers?"

Having momentarily relaxed, she stiffened again. "That doesn't matter anymore. It's over anyway." There was an ache in her side that she was trying to ignore. She took a few deep breaths, leaning over the sink, ignoring the fact that Gibbs was there until he was beside her.

She gasped and jerked away from him. He looked confused and then concerned. "Katie. Your couch is ringing."

"Ugh!" she groaned. And then she went over, grabbed her cell phone from under the couch cushion, opened the kitchen window, and threw her phone into the garden.

Gibbs was still staring at her, blinking occasionally. "Ya know," he said carefully, walking over, smiling. "The phone works better when ya actually use it and don't throw it out the window."

"How would you know?"

He pulled out his own cell phone and smiled at her, "Usually I just shoot mine."

She giggled a little, settling back in at the table. She realized quickly that she had probably ruined any chances she had with Gibbs; she didn't exactly look stable when she was throwing things out of windows. She opened her mouth to apologize, and then remembered. Finally, she decided to take the humorous approach. "I'm sure I look like a total basket case to you."

"Katie, I'm a federal agent. I'm sorry, but you really aren't the weirdest person I've ever met. You're gonna have to work harder to scare me away." He smiled.

"What was your first wife like?" she blurted out.

He paused, taken aback, and then smiled. "Her name was Shannon. She uh… she was great."

"Is that why you tried marrying again? To fill the hole?"

"Sort of…" He ran a hand through his hair nervously. "And Kelly needed a good role model."

"And it wasn't going to be you?" she teased.

He grinned. "Yeah. Wasn't gonna be me. I started working for NCIS right after Shannon died. Kelly was too young to remember her…" he stared out the window for a minute, before remembering who he was talking to. "What about you? Clearly something shitty happened to you."

"Are we talking chronologically, or by why one scarred me the most?" she asked, flippantly.

He reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "Please."

"Fine. I guess… it's been about a month now."

"Since?"

"Look, Gibbs… when I was a kid, my parents died. Both of them. Within a year of each other. I was young. I had an older brother and sister, and we had to stay with my grandmother."

"She raised you?"

"Raised three more kids, all while running a flower shop."

"It was your grandmother's flower shop." He understood. "And she died?"

"Cancer. A month ago. It… it was messy." She looked up at him. "And because my siblings have their own lives, I was the one- I was unemployed and drifting… I cared for her. And then I was left to run the shop."

"Why don't you just sell it?" he asked, staring at her.

"How could I? How would that respect her legacy?"

"You can grow flowers anywhere, Katie. You don't need to be trapped somewhere small to do it." She stood up, pulling her hand away from him.

After a few moments staring out at the sunny morning, she turned back to Gibbs. "What are you doing today?"

"We were going to have a beach day." He smiled. "You're welcome to join Kelly and I. We're just goin' to sit on our stretch of the beach, relaxin'."

"I didn't think the great Leroy Jethro Gibbs knew the meaning of the word _relax_."

"Hey, just because I don't _like_ to relax, doesn't mean I won't. Look, Kate, I'm not going to lie to you. I came this summer for me, but also for Kelly."

"Again, I'm still amazed that you're being given this much time off."

"There have been a few work incidents, nothing serious," he waved a hand.

"Are you on some kind of probation, so they gave you an extended vacation while they investigate you? Am I harboring a fugitive?" she teased, smiling.

He turned back, frowning. "We do what we have to in order to survive, don't we Katie?"

She nodded, not sure where he was going with his train of thought. "Yeah, Gibbs you're right. Look, I'm going to get dressed and then I'm going to deliver some flowers to Meredith. Want me to bring anything to this get together?"

"Who said it was a get together?" he asked, unimpressed.

"C'mon. This is a small town. Any event can become a get together."

"Well, how about you bring your friends… Drew and Meredith."

"Yeah, fine. I'll bring them. Are you barbecuing?"

"I hope ya like steak." He smiled at her. "I'll head on back, and tell Kelly you're coming. She'll be thrilled. She's taken a liking to you."

She nodded.

He was on his way out the door, when he turned back and muttered, "She isn't the only one."

But before Kate could ask what he meant, he was gone.

 **XNCISX**

She was feeling guilty about not going sooner in the day, but it was just around lunchtime and here she was, letting herself into Mer and Drew's house, holding a bouquet of carnations, Mer's favorite flowers.

"Mer!" she called softly. She walked through the living room, upstairs and into the master bedroom, where Mer was sprawled on the bed, looking pale and restless.

She looked up when she walked in, "Mornin' Kate. Heard you bitched at Drew. Cut him some slack, ok?"

"Why would I do that?" Kate asked, sitting on the edge of the bed, grabbing Mer's hand.

"He's got a lot going on right now."

"What do you mean?"

"His mom is visiting tomorrow night, and he's anxious, because he thinks she's going to bug him about grandchildren again."

" _Again_?" Kate asked, dismayed. "Can't you tell her that the two of you are practicing parenthood on me?"

Mer laughed, shaking her head. "Just because you act like a brat sometimes, doesn't make you a child, Kate."

"I brought you soup and flowers."

"You're a darling." Mer squeezed her hand, sitting up.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Loads. I'm pretty sure it must've been something I ate. Just had to get it out of my system."

"Can you and Drew sneak away this afternoon?"

"Why? Are we going on a road trip?"

"I wish. And you wish."

Mer smiled wanly. "Okay, what are we doing then?"

"Gibbs invited us all for a beach day at his cottage."

"I think he just wants you there." Mer was smiling more brightly though at the idea.

"I doubt that."

"I'll call Drew and tell him to bring food from the diner."

"Bring mozzarella sticks, they're Kelly's favorite."

"How do you know that?"

"She's been helping me out in the flower shop," Kate admitted. She stood up, "Do you need anything? Pepto Bismol?"

"Nah, I'm fine. I'll meet at you at Gibbs' cottage in an hour, with Drew in tow."

"Great." Kate squeezed her hand one final time. "See you later then."

"For sure."

 **XNCISX**

 **"** Je- _sus_ it's cold!" Drew was shivering in the lake.

"It doesn't get really warm until July," Kate called from her spot where she and Meredith and Kelly were playing cards. "You know that."

"My balls are _ice_!"

"Andrew Socrates Brennan!" Meredith yelled back in shock, as Kelly giggled. "There's a kid here, don't talk like that!"

Gibbs jumped off the dock, sending up a wave of water.

"Fu-," Drew's curse word was cut short by the wave going over him.

Gibbs surfaced and smiled, "I feel fine. The water's great!" he called to the ladies, waving. "Why don't ya join us?"

Drew grinned at his wife, his teeth chattering. "Hey honey, why don't ya come warm me up?"

"Because hypothermia doesn't sound nearly as fun to me as it does to you."

Kelly nudged Mer with her arm, "Mer, it's your turn."

"Oh." She turned. "Got any eight- AHH!" She shrieked as Drew came up behind her and grabbed her around the waist, freezing cold.

"That's it, you're going in!" he yelled over her shrieking.

"C'mon Drew," Gibbs said, rought a towel over his hair. "Let your wife go."

Drew reluctantly set her down on the sand, so that they were both shivering.

"Hey Kelly, c'mere and give your dad a hug!"

Kelly shot a sly look at Kate, who was no longer paying attention to her cards. "You should give him a hug, Kate."

"Nope, kiddo, he's your dad. _You_ do it."

Meredith flopped back on the sand. "I feel disgusting right now."

"Why's that, dear?" Drew asked, sitting down next to her. "Because you're cold and wet, instead of hot and wet?"

She punched him in the shoulder. "You're a terrible influence."

"I am _not,_ " he informed her hotly. "I'm amazing with kids."

"When you're not cursin' at 'em, or makin' dirty jokes." Gibbs suggested, as Kelly did run over and hug him. He released his daughter, before smiling at Drew. "And is your middle name really Socrates?"

"Yeah, _Jethro,_ it is." Drew's eye roll was legendary.

Kelly was suddenly standing over him. "Drew?"

"Yes, Kelly?"

"Did you say you brought mozzarella sticks?"

He sat up and grinned at her. "I was waiting for you to ask. You've got amazing restraint."

"She gets it from me," Gibbs bragged, grinning.

"Ha!" Drew snorted. "At least she didn't get her _looks_ from you, or I'd _really_ pity the poor kid!"

Kate stood up, "I'm starting dinner, so if you can stop your macho man fight, or maybe go crush beer cans against your heads or whatever, please do it somewhere where you can't ruin the food I'm preparing."

Meredith stood. "Kelly and I will come with you. C'mon Kelly, leave the men to their pissing contest. Oops!" She clapped a hand over her mouth.

Kelly stared back at her, and then grinned, before shrugging. "I don't mind bad words. Uncle Toby lets me watch all kinds of movies with bad words in them."

"Uncle Toby?" Kate asked.

She nodded, smiling angelically. "I know some really bad words," she whispered. "You wanna hear them?"

"Maybe later. C'mon Kelly." The three of them went inside, to leave the men to duke it out. Kate finished preparing the salad, before going into the boat shed, and pulling her phone out of her pocket. It was a little soil-covered, and smelled of freshness- she'd had to dig it out of the vegetable garden, once again admiring her own aim.

She looked at it.

 **FIVE MISSED CALLS.**

 _Oh, fantastic._ She leaned against the wall of the boat shed, trying to avoid her thoughts in the dim light. And then the door creaked open.

"What the hell are you doin' in here?"

She shot up, staring in alarm at Gibbs, who was standing in the doorway, crossing his arms. "Gibbs! You scared me!"

"I do believe this is _my_ boat shed you're standin' in, and my boat you're lookin' at, if ya needed a refresher."

"I'm sorry, I just needed some fresh air." Which was obviously a lie. The air smelled completely of sawdust, not fresh in any way.

"You want a drink?"

"I should probably stay sober."

"C'mon. I hid my best bottle of bourbon in here."

"You don't seem the type to drink during the day."

"Stop puttin' me in boxes, Katie." He poured her some bourbon, and she drank it, wrinkling her nose at the intensity.

"Do you prefer everything strong?"

He grinned back at her, leaning against his own boat. "Everything. Coffee… alcohol… women."

"Are you prepositioning me, Agent Gibbs?"

"Why no, Miss Todd, when I came here for the summer, my goal was not to corrupt some wide-eyed small town lady like yourself."

"I don't need to be corrupted." She took another sip of bourbon. "I'm already a basket case."

"Well, I mean, you have a great aim, so…"

She stepped towards him. "Why do I feel like you're not being completely honest when you say why you're here?"

"And why do I feel like ya aren't just tryin' to get to know me better?"

"I do want to get to know you."

"That would require both of us to be a little too honest for your liking, Katie. You don't want to be honest with me."

"Why, are you really that repulsed by honesty?" she asked, as he took a step towards her, taking her hands in his.

"No, no, I'm not."

"Then what is it? People with a past?"

"Of all people, I shouldn't criticize." He stared down at her.

She smiled back up at him, and she swore they were sharing some kind of moment, until he heard the yelling.

"Gibbs! Come help me barbecue or you're not getting any dinner!"

He broke away, chuckling. "You have the greatest friends."

She shook her head. "Not right now, I don't."

He left her standing alone, staring at his boat, wondering exactly what he would do once he had finished it.


	4. Chapter 4

Her windows were wide open, letting in the fresh breeze off the lake, though it was nearly negated by the stagnant heat of the day. She was lying on her bed, reading, a glass of lemonade beside the bed, her hair tied back because of the oppressive heat. It was her day off again, and naturally she was content to just sit there and read all morning.

Of course, she'd just gotten comfortable, so there _had_ to be a knock at the door. She groaned, and swung her legs off the bed, only to hear the door open. She froze, then reached for her bedside table, where she still kept her old Glock.

She relaxed when she heard the voices downstairs, realizing it was Meredith, Drew, Gibbs and Kelly.

And then she was oddly embarrassed, running down the stairs, realizing that the house was a mess, and once again, she'd forgotten to buy groceries. She had a fantastic mind, and an aptitude for math, but her memory was somewhat lacking these days.

Meredith was holding a bag of groceries, and was smiling. Drew had a bag of food. Gibbs and Kelly were carrying… cleaning supplies?

Kate crossed her arms, feely odd self-conscious. "What are you guys doing here?"

"You told me last week that you wanted the house cleaned. And cleaned _out,"_ Mer pointed out.

"Yeah, and…?"

"It's your day off. So we figured we'd come help you tackle this musty old house. And we'll start by opening all the windows."

"But why do I smell diner food?" Kate asked.

"Kelly had to stop for a milkshake on the way to your place," Gibbs explained.

She grinned at Kelly. "Miss Hollow Leg strikes again?"

Kelly nodded. "I'm helping too."

Gibbs cleared his throat, "I was thinking that Drew and Mer could start with the living room and kitchen, and Kate?"

She stared at him for a second, before answering. "Yes?"

"You and I can work in the garage."

"What about Kelly?"

"Kelly here," he patted his daughter on the back as he spoke. "Will be cleaning up the bedrooms."

"Oh, there isn't really anything in the bedrooms worth cleaning up," Kate dismissed.

"Good news Kel, you get an easy job today. Don't slack off, or you're not gettin' dinner."

"Oh, Meredith will feed me, won't you Mer?"

Meredith rolled her eyes, looking as pale as she had the night before, when she'd left work early to go home. "Sure kiddo." She ruffled Kelly's hair. "You bet I'll feed you."

Kate pointed at her on her way out to the garage, "No going through my stuff."

"I'm hurt. You don't trust me?" Kelly smiled angelically.

"You act innocent, but you can be a little devil," Kate said with a slight smile, "So _no._ And stay out of my bedside table."

"Is that where you keep all your love letters from your secret boyfriend?" Mer asked.

"Secret girlfriend?" Drew chimed in.

Kate glared at them. "Go eat a sponge."

"C'mon, Mer, can't you see we have work to do?" Drew asked, gesturing at the living room. "This place smells like a morgue crossed with a flower shop."

"Did you forget where I work?" Kate asked.

Drew stuck his tongue out at her.

"So mature. I'm so glad you don't have kids, because you are _not_ ready for fatherhood."

Meredith smiled feebly, as Drew grinned at her. "You hear that, Mer? We're not allowed to have kids."

"Ah, ah," Gibbs wagged a finger at him. "Kate didn't say that. She just said _you're_ not allowed."

Drew's mouth dropped open, "That's discrimination!"

"Nope." Kate waved at him as she left. "Gibbs, I'll meet you in the garage."

Drew leaned in and whispered as Gibbs passed, "Be sure to wear a hazmat suit."

"I heard that!"

Drew winced. "Put in a good word for me, will you Gibbs?"

Gibbs grinned. "Sorry Brennan, you're on your own."

Gibbs jogged to catch up with Kate, who was already pulling up the garage door. "You should really lock your door you know," he said, coming up behind her.

She shrieked as she spun around, punching him in the shoulder, before realizing who it was. She took a deep breath, then smiled at him. "Why? I know everyone in this town."

"Or at least get a big dog," he pleaded. "It's not safe for a woman to just be alone in a house without-,"

"Without a man to protect her?" Kate cut in, unamused as she looked at the dusty boxes.

"Hey." Gibbs' focus was somewhere else. It was on the red truck sitting in the garage, abandoned, with a fine layer of dust covering its surface. "What's this?"

"What does it look like?" she asked, grabbing a box.

"Well it looks like a truck."

"Very astute," she mimicked him. "Gold star."

He rolled his eyes. "Kate, I'm a little confused, I'm gonna need ya to explain somethin' to me."

"Yes?" she asked.

"If ya have a truck, why do ya walk everywhere?"

"Because it's broken down. Doesn't run. I don't have the money for a new one."

He shook his head. "We'll hav to fix that, won't we?"

She blinked, staring at him. "What?"

"We'll have to fix the truck. I can't just have ya walkin' everywhere. What if ya gotta go somewhere outside of Lake Allen?"

"I don't go anywhere, Gibbs. The flower shop is pretty much my life now."

He sighed, "Look, Kate, I'll fix the damn truck for ya."

"I don't need charity." Her voice was ice.

"I never said you did. I'm just…" he trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. "I want to thank ya for the warm welcome… and for you and your friends adoptin' Kelly and I into the family."

"Gibbs… It's just what we do." She shrugged. She reached up and grabbed another box, and he took it from her, setting it down on the floor of the garage.

"What's all this?" he asked.

"Family pictures, probably." She was already reaching for the next box. He tugged the dusty box out of the garage, and into the backyard. _Family Pictures_ was indeed scrawled across the side of the box. He was curious, and opened the box while Kate's back was turned.

The first thing he found was a photo of Kate from her high school graduation. Cap and gown, brilliant smile, and a smattering of freckles he'd definitely noticed the last time he'd been close enough to look. As well, she didn't look nearly as haunted.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He nearly dropped the frame, surprised, but recovered in time, turning around to look at the older, sadder version of Kate. "What?"

"My family pictures." She was staring at the box, and bit her lip, nervously.

He stood up. "I can just… put them back in the garage if you want."

She smiled. "You can look at all the pictures later, Gibbs. Honestly."

"Later?" he asked.

"We were supposed to be cleaning the garage." She was smiling though. "I see where your daughter gets her distractibility from."

"Hey." He was laughing too, as he set down the photo again. He wondered why there weren't any photos of Kate or her family inside the house. Why were they all packed away in the garage, rotting away just like the truck Kate never drove?

He followed her back inside the garage, and then his phone rang.

Kate was lost in thought and didn't notice him duck out, but she did hear the sound of him cursing under his breath as he answered. She opened the next box, which held a bunch of her books from when she was a child. She had to show those to Kelly, without a doubt. She opened her mouth to mention it to Gibbs, and that was when she turned around to see that he had vanished. Shrugging, she set the heavy box of books down on the floor. The next box she checked had _family memorabilia_ scrawled across in her grandfather's handwriting. Her grandmother had added to the box, so Kate sat down on a lawn chair to look through the box.

The first thing she found, sealed in plastic, was the gown that she and her siblings had been baptized in. The list tucked into the plastic had the names of all her ancestors who had worn the gown. It gave her a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach to see both her mother's name and her grandmother's name on it, now that both of them were dead. Her mother had been dead for twenty-two years, and it still stung to see the name _Rosalie Joan Murray_ written in her grandmother's careful handwriting. She moved it aside, trying to stop the tears from welling up in her eyes, and failing.

"You okay, Katie?" came a soft voice from the doorway. She looked up, only to see that Gibbs was back. He was giving off a not-so-positive vibe, and she suddenly burned with curiosity to know exactly what had just happened.

She wiped the tears on the back of her hand. "I'm fine. What about you? You don't look too happy."

"Don't get married Kate," he said, walking over with a half-smile on his face. "Men are bastards."

"I'd disagree but…" His smile grew. "Why particularly?"

"Well, because all women want to do is divorce us. My divorce, specifically, is final. As of… let me see… today."

"Your divorce?" she asked.

"Second divorce," he amended.

She sighed, and rolled her eyes. "You sure know how to pick a keeper, don't you Gibbs?"

"I thought I did once, but then she died. So…" he shrugged.

Another thought struck Kate. "Did you come here to escape your divorce?"

"No, I needed to get away from work for the summer."

She nodded, as though this was a perfectly acceptable explanation for why he had taken four months off from his important government agent job. "Okay."

"Kate?"

She looked up. "What is it, Gibbs?"

"Have ya ever left Lake Allen?"

"What?" she asked.

"I just… feel like I know ya from somewhere."

"Where the hell could you know me from?" Kate asked.

"Well that's why I asked."

"It doesn't matter where I was, because…" she waved her hand dismissively, "I'm right back where I started."

He leaned in, his blue eyes capturing her in his gaze. "I very much doubt that."

She smiled, albeit reluctantly. She kept looking through the box, handing things to Gibbs. And then, she paused, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Gibbs was watching her, and asked, "Kate..?"

"It's nothing."

"If ya think I'm that _dumb,_ Katie…"

"Okay, okay." She pulled out a faded-looking envelope from the bottom of the box. When she held it up, he saw that it was addressed to her.

 _Caitlin._

"Ah. Who's it from?" he asked.

"It's my grandmother's handwriting." Her voice was shaky, and on an impulse, he reached over, grabbing her hand, and holding it. She smiled at him gratefully. "I've never seen it before."

He squeezed her hand, "Want me to leave?"

Shaking her head, she opened it, and then read out loud.

" _My dearest Caitlin Rose,_

 _Today you are leaving home, to go off on your next great adventure. I know that both of your parents would be just as proud as I am, without a doubt. They did not have the privilege I did of getting to know you as you grew up, but I know that they would love you, as I do. You're leaving home, and it breaks my heart- though I know it is necessary. You are so very brave, my little treasure, and I know you will do great things. I am so very proud of you. Love you darling._

 _Grandma Jean. Xoxo_

Kate's voice gave out, and she buried her face in her hands.

"Katie?" he asked, not allowing the wavering in his voice to show. It was an emotionally-charged note, and clearly Kate was still reeling from its words. "Please, are you okay?"

Kate wiped at her eyes, furiously. "It has to be all the dust in the air. I'm sorry, Gibbs. Really." She stood up, pulling away, and he reluctantly released her hand.

"Onward?" he asked.

She smiled, "This garage isn't getting any cleaner. Oh!" She grabbed a rag from the hood of the truck, and dabbed at his nose. "You have a smudge of dirt on your face."

He grinned down at her, "So am I allowed to work on your truck then, Katie?"

She slapped the rag to his chest. "Clean the garage, and then we'll see."

Smirking he followed her deeper into the dusty recesses of her childhood.

 **XNCISX**

They were sitting in the backyard, eating and laughing. Gibbs had made a pasta dish with Meredith's fresh groceries, and they were all competing over who had the best stories to tell. It had turned into a bit of a competition, the more outrageous stories leaving them all in giggles.

"Okay, okay, but seriously." Kate cleared her throat, taking a sip of her drink. "So we were on a vacation, we were coming home from Myrtle Beach."

"Myrtle Beach? Ooh la la!" Drew hiccupped. "Very touristy, Kate."

"So we stopped in at a hotel in West Virginia- talk about backwoods- and we hadn't even checked in yet, but there was a _cow_ in the parking lot!"

Drew snorted.

Kelly was staring, open-mouthed. "A cow? A real live cow?"

"Yes, Kelly. It was an udder disaster," Meredith teased. Gibbs was chuckling.

Drew stood up, "Kate, Mer, you remember my grandfather, right?"

"Who could forget old Allan?" Meredith was giggling into her napkin.

"Gibbs, Kelly, my grandfather was known for two things- telling bad jokes-,"

"Drew got that from him," Meredith said in a stage whisper.

"And wearing these hats. And we were on a road trip- I'll be damned if I remember where we were going, but still-,"

"Oh get _on_ with it," Gibbs said, rolling his eyes.

"He left his hat in a Dairy Queen in Nashville, and then remembered two _days_ after we left Nashville."

"Really?" Kelly was delighted.

"Yeah, but get this-," Drew grinned. "On our way back through Nashville two weeks later, we stopped at the same Dairy Queen and picked up his hat- right where he left it!"

Meredith and Kate burst out laughing.

Kelly was giggling quietly to herself. Gibbs couldn't help but chuckle right along with Drew.

Meredith grinned at them, leaving her drink on the table. "I have a great story for all of y'all."

"Meredith's genteel Southern roots are showing!" Drew yelled.

She smiled at him, and then it turned into a smirk. "So, Gibbs, you may not know this, but fun fact: I actually went to school to be a journalist."

"Actually?" he asked.

"You worked for a newspaper? Really?" Kelly was stunned.

Kate toasted Mer. "I can vouch for her, I was there. Well, for the schooling part, anyway."

"You were too black-out drunk most of the time!" Mer yelled back.

"Go on with your story," Gibbs urged.

"Anyway, anyway, so after I completed the journalism program, I got to go work in Savannah, Georgia for a year, as a journalist for one of the small daily newspapers. While I was there, I lived with two other journalists from the paper- the crime beat reporter and the entertainment reporter."

" _That_ sounds like a sitcom," Drew interjected.

"Shut up," Kate elbowed him to keep him quiet.

"So because I lived with the reporter who did the crime beat, it meant that we had a police scanner in the house, so that she could always follow the latest story- she was a damn fine ambulance chaser, make no mistake! So one night, we were having a big party with all the other journalists, drinking enough to cause permanent liver damage..." she trailed off, realizing that there was a ten-year-old in their midst.

"She's heard worse," Drew dismissed.

Kelly grinned. "C'mon Mer, I want to hear the story!"

"Okay, okay… so we were all drinking like crazy, and because it's an entire house full of journalists, we're all talking shop, even if we're completely plastered. And then, the police scanner starts going crazy, and starts spouting off a story about a fire. And the journalists in the room collectively realize that said fire is only a few streets away from where we live. So naturally, what do we do? A room full of journalists, no matter how plastered, have to follow the story. We all head out into the street, trying to figure out which way we're supposed to go, because we figured a bunch of drunk journalists would make a really great story out of a house fire, no matter how plastered we've gotten. We all wanted the story, thinking that maybe this gets our name in the paper. It was after midnight, and we still considered it a good idea to show up to the scene of a terrible fire, and chase ambulances! Conclusion: Don't have parties full of journalists… or just don't let them out of the house when they have too much to drink."

Everyone was laughing by that point.

"Christ, Mer, how come I never heard that story?" Drew was laughing so hard, he was nearly crying.

"Because, Drew, you said I seemed like a genteel Southern lady."

"I'd like to say," Kate cleared her throat, "That you'd look terrible in a ballgown."

Meredith stuck her tongue out at her. "Shut up. I have way too much dirt on you for you to joke around like this!"

Kate grinned at Mer. "Thankfully I have all kinds of stories of teenage stupidity- specifically _your_ stupid teenager moments, Mer."

"Like you're any better?"

"I just followed you into most of those stupid acts!"

"Didn't you know better than to trust me?"

"I'm gonna need a story behind this."

"Well," Kate smiled, "Do you want to know why I'm afraid of snakes?"

"You're afraid of snakes?" Kelly asked.

"Yes, and kid, don't get any ideas about stuffing a snake into my bed before you leave tonight, because I know where you live."

"Okay, just tell the story." Gibbs cut in.

"So Mer and I were hiking by the lake, back when we were…. Fourteen? I think?"

Mer nodded. "Fourteen."

"Anyway… we were on a hike, and on said hike, we may have come across a rattlesnake."

"A rattlesnake?"

"Yep. A rattlesnake."

"You just attract trouble, don't ya?" Gibbs asked, smiling across the table at Kate. She smiled back.

"Mer attracts trouble, if I'm being honest. And anyway, we came across a rattlesnake. I was totally okay with not going anywhere near it, because snake bite is really not my idea of a good time. But Mer- Mer thought otherwise. Because she was _fearless_ as a teenager. And by fearless, I just mean really stupid. So what does she do? She throws rocks."

"At a rattlesnake?" Gibbs asked, horrified. "Do ya have a death wish?"

"No." She shrugged. "I was just a thrill seeker back then. Should have heard Kate _scream_."

Gibbs smiled, shaking his head.

 **XNCISX**

Gibbs and Drew were cleaning up in the backyard, with Kelly's help. Mer and Kate were in the kitchen, trying to clean the dishes.

"Jesus, whatever Gibbs made this sauce with, it's now sticking to the pan like cement!" Mer was working hard at scrubbing the pan, but in the dim light of the kitchen, Kate noticed the dark circles under her eyes, and started putting pieces together.

"Mer?"

She turned, to watch Kate scrub down the counter. "What is it?"

"What's going on with you lately?"

"What?"

"Are you still sick?"

"No, I feel better."

Kate scrubbed the counter viciously, saying bitterly, "I know when you're lying, remember. What's going on?"

"It's nothing, Kate. Really. It's just a bug."

"You should go see a doctor, if it's still lingering. Especially considering no one else has gotten your bug." Her voice was dripping with worry.

Mer shook her head. "I don't need a parent, Kate."

"I never said you did. I'm just looking out for you. Isn't that my job?"

"It's Drew's job, actually."

"Has he noticed what's up with you?"

"No."

"Bullshit."

"Ah, watch it Katie."

She spun around to see Gibbs standing in the doorway, Kelly behind him. "Can I help you, Gibbs?"

"I'll be around tomorrow to work on your truck. Can ya leave me the keys?"

"You can pick them up when you drop Kelly off at the shop tomorrow morning. Help yourself to whatever is in the cupboard."

He walked over, smiling. "I wasn't kiddin', you should get a dog."

"You're vicious enough, even if you aren't permanent. Probably good at snarling too… Do you drool?"

He grinned, shaking his head. "Only when I see a pretty lady." He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks Katie. G'night."

He left, leaving her standing there with heated cheeks, and a _thank you_ of her own left to die on her lips.


	5. Chapter 5

"We're doing _what_ today?" Kate asked. She had opened her door five minutes ago, only to find Gibbs in a faded _US Marine Corps_ shirt, and shorts, a towel over one shoulder. It was supposed to get up to ninety-five degrees, typical for an Indiana summer, but what Gibbs was proposing was ludicrous.

"Kate," he said patiently. "Ninety-five. It's too hot to work. It's too damn hot to do _anythin'._ "

"So what are you suggesting? Maybe I missed that part of the plan."

"I'm tellin' ya that you and Mer and Drew should all come with us. We're goin' to the waterpark- the one that's an hour away."

She looked out at the sky, barely a wisp of a cloud floating by, the sun already making the flowers in her garden wilt. "Well…" she sighed. "I suppose I'm not getting much work done today."

"No one is buyin' flowers in ninety-five degree heat," he advised. He was grinning like a kid who'd just convinced the goody two shoes to skip class on a hot summer day.

Kate would know, naturally. "Give me five minutes," she said, making up her mind.

"Done, and done. And bring money, I'm thinkin' pizza tonight." His excitement was infectious, so she pounded up the stairs, hunting around. For someone who lived on the shores of a lake, she had a hard time finding her bathing suit, and then an even harder time finding a beach towel. She threw on a navy bikini covered in little pink anchors, and then on top of it, her _Dread Pirate Roberts_ shirt and cutoffs. She tried a hunt through the linen closet, and she could hear Gibbs honking from below, so she grabbed the first towel she found, sighing when she realized it was a Mickey Mouse towel. She stuffed her latest book, sliding into her flip-flops and locking the house. It was strange, but she'd actually been listening to Gibbs lately- not that she'd admit it to him. She climbed into the front seat.

"What's the plan?" she asked, buckling her seat belt.

"Waterpark!" Kelly cheered.

"Well," Gibbs amended, "First we have to go get Drew and Mer."

"You're inviting them too? I might reconsider joining you." Kate was grinning though.

"You're not escaping now," he laughed, and it made her laugh too. She'd never seen a grown man so excited about an amusement park.

It reminded her of something she'd wanted to ask him before, "Gibbs have you and Kelly ever been to Disney World?"

Before Gibbs could answer, Kelly grumbled from the back seat, "We were going to. But our flight got cancelled."

"Twice," Gibbs added. "Big snowstorm in DC cancelled both of our flights, and we couldn't book a new one. So instead we stayed… and got snowed in for a week."

Kate winced, "Yikes. I went once as a kid. And then again with Meredith when we were in college."

"You went in college?" Gibbs was grinning at her.

"Okay, I feel like you're judging my life decisions, and I feel the need to say that I am a fully grown adult who loves Disney."

"Actually you're a five year old trying to pilot an adult's body. I'm onto you, Todd."

Kelly giggled. "What's your favorite Disney movie, Kate?"

"I'm not sure. I really like Hercules. What about you?"

"I haven't decided," Kelly admitted. "I want to see the one that came out last week."

"That _Atlantis_ thing?" Gibbs asked.

"You actually listened when I told you about that?" Kelly was surprised.

"Of course. Why do you think I'm so good at birthday presents? I actually _listen_ to what you tell me, Kelly."

"How surprising," Kate muttered, staring out the window, as they arrived at the Brennan house. "A dad who actually listens."

"You act like that's revolutionary," Gibbs noted.

"Most dads I've known weren't very involved, but maybe I just didn't know that many dads."

As if on cue, Meredith and Drew climbed into the back seat, chattering loudly about all the fun things they were going to do once they got to the waterpark, and Kate was spared from having to explain more about her so-called tragic history.

Good. It was supposed to be a fun day anyway.

 **XNCISX**

"Load up on sugary crap!" Gibbs called, slamming the door of the Jeep. They were baking, standing in the dry heat, the asphalt cracked beneath them. They'd stopped at a store on the highway that looked like it had been open since Eisenhower had been President, allegedly for snacks.

He grabbed Kate's arm as she tried to maneuver past him. "Hiya Katie."

"Can I help you?"

"Well no, ya can't. Unless there's some kinda candy I can buy you?"

"I'm partial to gummy worms, but I think I'll be lucky to find anything dated after 1965 in there."

Gibbs grinned at her, "Clearly you know nothing about general stores." He let go of her arm and started walking away, whistling.

She crossed her arms as she followed. "And you do?"

He tossed the fact casually over his shoulder, "Well, sure, Katie, my dad runs a store pretty much exactly like this."

She stopped dead in her tracks, raising her eyebrow at the new information. "Where are you from exactly? General stores aren't exactly popular in DC."

He held the door open for Mer, Drew and Kelly, and gestured for her to hurry up. "When did I ever say I was from DC?"

She turned red. "I uh- just assumed."

"Want to learn another rule?"

"You're really big on the rules, aren't you Gibbs?"

"I have a rule for everything." His grin grew even wider, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "But I'll paraphrase this one for you: never assume anything."

"I have a rule too," she teased. "The rule is, I don't question your rules, and you buy me gummy worms."

"Sounds like blackmail," he said, following her into the dimly lit store. "I like your tactics, Agent Todd. You always play dirty?"

She winked at him, "Only when I really want something." She paused. "To clarify, I meant the gummy worms."

"And trust me, Todd, you're gonna love these gummy worms."

"Do I get a satisfaction guarantee?"

He grinned. "Yes, I do guarantee that you will be satisfied."

"And what about you?"

He tossed her a bag of gummy worms. "I'm never satisfied."

"Sounds like a challenge."

"Oh for God's sake," Mer said, overhearing, and rolling her eyes. "Can it, both of you, or I'll puke again."

Kate wrinkled her nose, "With that lovely image in mind, yes, Gibbs, you can buy me all the gummy worms you want. Maybe I'll even share."

"With that in mind, how can I refuse?" he replied, pulling out his wallet.

 **XNCISX**

They had staked out five chairs on the sandy patch that passed for a beach at the waterpark. The sun was really beating down, and the air was dry and hot.

"Hey, catch!" Gibbs tossed Kate the sunscreen and she caught it just before it hit the ground.

"Nice throw."

"Nice catch."

Meredith was sitting on her chair, painting her toenails a bright red, with a green stripe at the bottom.

"Mer, what are you doing?" Kelly asked.

"I'm painting watermelons on my toes," Mer responded.

"Why?"

"Because I've lost control of my life," Mer grinned as she looked up, to show that she was joking. Kelly smiled back.

"Can you do mine next?"

"If it's okay with your dad. And if you can sit still long enough for me to do them."

"I'll try."

"What are you reading today, Kelly?" Kate asked.

"This book called _Harry Potter._ "

"I've heard of it," Kate smiled at her. "Can I borrow it once your done?"

"Aw Kate, that's a kids book. Don't you want to read boring adult books like the rest of us?" Drew interjected, grinning at her.

"Drew, I'll read whatever I damn please."

He stuck his tongue out at her. She was tempted to flip him off, but doubted that Gibbs would appreciate it. So instead, she peeled off her oversized shirt, and started applying sunscreen. Might as well tan on a day as hot as that one. She was rubbing sunscreen into her shoulders, when she noticed that Gibbs was watching her out of the corner of his eye.

She glanced over herself, and relaxed slightly when she realized her bikini wasn't remotely indecent. In fact, it covered quite a lot. She couldn't think of any other reason why he would be staring at her so intensely.

"Hey Gibbs," she said, turning so she was facing him fully. "Can you put some sunscreen on my back? I don't want to burn."

"Yeah, Kate as a lobster? It ain't pretty." Mer was chuckling. "Trust me, spring break was _not_ pretty."

"Shut up Mer," Kate made a face at her.

"I will not."

Gibbs nodded, walking over silently, and taking the sunscreen from her. "Turn around," he muttered, offering a hesitant smile.

She did so, pulling her ponytail out of the way. His hands were warm on his back, but she squirmed a bit under his touch- the sunscreen was cold after all, even in his warm, calloused hands. He rubbed the sunscreen into her back, and then pulled away.

She turned to him, "Want me to do you?"

He blinked at her, momentarily frozen. "What?" he asked.

"Your back." She blushed as she realized what he thought she had meant. "I mean, I don't want you getting burnt either. That is, if you plan on taking off your shirt."

He nodded, and tugged his shirt over his head, tossing it onto his chair. She was watching him as he turned around, his shoulder blades sharp in his back, though he was well-muscled. He was clearly a former Marine, at least by looks alone… she realized that it was her turn to stare, and cleared her throat awkwardly, taking the sunscreen back from Gibbs, and rubbing it into his back. He jumped at her touch, and then said, "Sorry, Kate. It's cold."

"I'm sure that's what it is," Kelly muttered from behind her book. Gibbs and Kate both turned to stare at her, and then exchanged an awkward look. Kate hoped that she could blame any redness in her cheeks on the sun, and not on an overpowering blush. Sure, she liked Gibbs fine, but not in a romantic way. She just thought of him and Kelly as close friends that had joined her little circle to form a weird family of five.

Kate stretched out on her own chair, next to Gibbs, self-consciously pulling her bikini top lower, to hide the scar on her side. Of course it didn't work, but it felt like a beacon in the sunlight, just begging to be asked about by unsuspecting strangers- like Gibbs, who had a curious mind and a nose for the truth. She wondered how good he would be at being able to tell if she was lying to him. She picked up her book, trying not to think about it.

"What are you reading?" Kelly asked her, and she set the book down for a second, staring at it. Then she sighed. Normally it wouldn't be kid-friendly material, but she was speaking to the daughter of a federal agent, with a mind for reading.

"I'm reading this old true crime book. It's called _In Cold Blood._ "

"Oooh, that's cool."

"Did you know," Gibbs said, from behind his sunglasses, "that the events in that book happened a year- almost exactly- after I was born?"

"No…"

"Wow, Gibbs," Drew joked. "You're more ancient than my grandma. And she's dead."

"Piss off, Brennan."

Kelly sat up, and tossed _Harry Potter_ aside. "Can we go do something please? So I _don't_ have to listen to Dad and Drew fight?"

"Sure thing," Kate stood too, "Where do you want to go?"

"The waterslide?" Kelly asked.

"Sure, let's go. Gibbs, you coming?"

"Nah," he waved his hand. "Go, have fun."

She crossed her arms. "Weren't _you_ the one who wanted to come here in the first place, Gibbs?"

"No, it was all part of my plan to get you out of the town for the day, so you wouldn't spend the day stewin' in the flower shop; don't thank me or anythin'."

"Kate?" Kelly asked, looking between her and Gibbs.

Kate, fed up, and tired of standing around hot in the sun, walked over, and grabbed Gibbs by the arm. "You're coming with us."

"Nope."

"Yes. I don't take no for an answer."

He eyed her over the top of his sunglasses. "And I don't take orders, Kate, even if they do come from pretty ladies such as yourself."

"You're not getting out of this through flattery," she warned.

He rolled his eyes, "Kelly, Drew will gladly take you on the waterslide."

"And we'll be right behind you."

The corner of his mouth turned up, "Stubborn, aren't ya?"

"Pot and kettle, much?" Kelly muttered, walking away with Drew. Gibbs glared at her, and then turned his smirk back on Kate, one eyebrow going up.

"You're makin' me go on a waterslide."

"Yes, Gibbs, it's this little thing called fun."

"And here I was, thinkin' it was this little thing called payback for showing up unannounced and cleaning your house for ya."

"Just c'mon. One little trip down a waterslide."

"Fine, but we're sharin' a raft." She paused as she turned to walk away, tilting her head to consider. He continued, offering her a disarming grin. "Please?"

He'd followed, and they'd caught up to Drew and Kelly in no time. "Wow," she heard Kelly mutter to Drew. "Dad said please!"

"Maybe Kate's special."

"Mm-hmm."

Gibbs sighed loudly, an over-exaggerated, theatrical sigh accompanied by him rolling his eyes. If eye-rolling was a sport, he would have won. The reason for his theatrics? The very big flight of stairs leading to the top of the waterslide. He followed Drew and Kelly up the stairs, shooting covert glances at Kate, who rolled her eyes at him whenever she noticed him staring.

She wasn't uncomfortable, but there was something very intense about his gaze. Something that made her want to pay attention; or at least stand to attention. She'd always had a problem with authority figures. And here he was, full of disarming charm and enough discipline to make her value nothing more than his friendship. She would never admit to being a little intimidated.

The sun was hot, and she noticed Gibbs patting at the pockets of his bathing suit. "Lose something?" she asked.

"My sunglasses."

She giggled, and pointed. He paused, and then reached a hand up slowly. She giggled more when he found them perched on top of his head. "Very nice, Gibbs."

"Well, I'm old and forgetful."

They'd finally reached the top of the waterslide, and Kate looked at the waterslide properly. It looked fast, and twisting, winding down to the pool at the bottom. The lifeguard was sitting there, bored. Drew and Kelly climbed onto a raft first, and Gibbs' face changed from relaxed to concerned when he heard Kelly's shriek as they were swept away, and relaxed again when he realized she was laughing.

The lifeguard nodded at them, and Gibbs gestured towards the raft, silently insisting that she get on first. "Coward," she muttered, seating herself on the front of the raft. He climbed on behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, still smelling like sawdust and coffee under the powerful smell of coconut sunscreen.

She jerked away slightly when he leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I heard that."

The lifeguard shoved them off, and they moved with surprising speed. She was laughing, as Gibbs clung to her, tense against her back. He was laughing too, pressed against her in the dark tunnel, and she felt like a teenager… felt in fact like she could lean back into him with no consequences. She turned to look at him, and the smile, the laughter in his eyes made him look at least a decade younger.

And then they were back in the light, rushing through the rustling trees, the sun hot on her face, and Gibbs' arms warm around her waist, his hands strong and calloused against her skin. She shivered for a second, feeling the chill of the water splashing around them.

Just like that, it was over. They crashed into the pool of water at the bottom of the slide, soaking themselves in the process. Once back on shore, she tossed him his towel, and then watched him out of the corner of her eye, roughing his hair with the towel. Her cheeks heated up, no doubt the result of sunburn, and she pulled her own towel around her shoulder. A hand was on her arm, and she turned to see Gibbs, towel around his neck, a smile on his face.

"You gotta nice laugh, Katie. Don't hear it that often."

"Ditto," she retorted. "But my point has been proved."

"Oh?"

"It really wasn't so bad, was it?"

"I'd tell ya, Katie, but then I'd have to kill you." He turned to answer Kelly, who was excitedly demanding that they do the waterslide again. Kate remembered the warm hands around her waist, and buried her face in her towel. Yes, that she really wouldn't mind.

 **XNCISX**

"That was the best dinner I've ever had," Kelly announced.

Gibbs looked in the rearview mirror at his daughter, eyebrows raised. "You say that after every dinner."

"But this time, I really mean it. That was _amazing_ pizza." She sighed, leaning back in her seat, sandwiched in between Mer and Drew. "But I'm still hungry."

Gibbs and Kate both muttered, "What else is new?" then exchanged an embarrassed look.

Drew sighed loudly, "Okay, if Kelly is still hungry, then I suggest we stop for ice cream."

"Drew you ate half a pizza!" Mer was scandalized.

"And you barely ate anything," he retorted.

"Wasn't hungry."

"Will you at least have some ice cream?" he asked softly.

"Yes, if I can share something with you."

Drew tapped on Gibbs' seat. "You hear that, Gibbs? That's three votes for ice cream."

"Yeah, yeah," Gibbs grumbled, "Human garbage disposals, the lot of you."

"But they do it with such charm," Kate teased. "Besides, we ate dinner an hour ago, we might as well stop. It's still at least ninety-three."

"How about you turn on the radio?" Drew asked.

"How about you don't and say you did?" Kelly retorted.

"Don't make me come back there!" Gibbs warned, and Kate smiled to herself. They pulled into the first ice cream shop they saw, and headed for the door.

Gibbs paused in the parking lot, staring at the vehicles, but when Kate shot him a questioning look, he simply shrugged, and nodded towards the door, where Drew and Mer were already leading Kelly.

"Any preferences for ice cream, Gibbs?"

"Hmmm…." He looked at the menu board, and turned to her. "What looks good to you?"

"Mmm, cookies and cream, rocky road…" she scanned the board. "Pumpkin."

He turned to stare. " _Pumpkin_? You're joking."

She grinned. "Yes, I am joking. I'm probably getting something boring like chocolate."

"Pumpkin does sound a little adventurous. Not sure you can handle it."

"Maybe it's you who can't handle it."

They stepped up to order at the counter. She did end up ordering chocolate, and he got cookies and cream. But as they were walking to their table, Gibbs took the spoon from his cup, and spooned a giant scoop of chocolate off of her cone.

She yanked it away, "Hey!"

He stuck it in his mouth, and grinned, walking faster as she tried to attack his ice cream. But she didn't have a spoon, so she got creative. She grabbed the cone right out of his hand, and stuck her tongue out, as if to lick it.

"Ah, ah, ah, I don't think so!" He grabbed it back just in time. "Not for you, Katie."

"Well you took some of mine, I'm giving you your just desserts."

"Did you wanna spoon?" he asked, innocently, blinking at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Of your ice cream?"

"Well what else would I mean?" he was chuckling, but then a voice from behind them stopped them in their tracks.

"Leroy?"

He swore under his breath, as both he and Kate turned around. Kate appraised the person who'd spoken, an attractive red-headed woman, holding a baby. There was a man standing behind her, shuffling awkwardly from foot to foot. Who the hell could Gibbs know all the way out here in Indiana? Unless… no.

His voice was flat, and it hurt Kate. "Hello Diane. Long time no see."

"Leroy, who's this?" she asked, looking pointedly at Kate.

"This is Kate… my friend."

Kate held out a hand. "Kate Todd."

Diane gestured to the sleeping baby, "I'd shake your hand, but I've got Emily here."

"She's so big," Gibbs said with a smile, rubbing a hand over the baby's head. "She's beautiful, Diane."

"Mmm. Where's Kelly?"

"She took off with the ice cream." Gibbs' eyes shifted from the awkward meeting to Diane's companion. "New boyfriend?"

"Maybe." She would have crossed her arms if she wasn't holding the baby. "Personally, I don't see how it's any of your business."

"Ah, Diane, just as friendly as always." He sounded nearly bitter, but he was being gentle towards the infant. Kate had to wonder if there was something she was missing.

"Victor…" she turned to the man. "Can you get the ice cream? I'm going to go wait in the car."

Kate cringed at the chill in Diane's voice, and then she noticed Meredith watching Diane and the baby leave. The hilarity of the last few moments had faded into an awkward silence, and she walked with Gibbs to the table.

They slid into the booth.

Drew looked over at Diane. "Friends of yours, Gibbs?"

"You could say that. It's my ex-wife."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Don't know what she's doing here with good ol' Victor, but it's not good… considering she's married."

"Oh shit." Drew's voice was full of surprise, and a second too late he realized. "Sorry Kelly."

She shrugged.

Kate turned to Gibbs, "And Emily…?"

"Her latest husband's daughter."

"Uncle Toby's daughter!" Kelly grinned.

"Yeah… I'm thinking I might not tell Uncle Toby that his wife's cheating on him… but he probably already knows." Gibbs finished darkly.

Meredith stood up suddenly, "Gibbs, I'm not feeling so great, mind if I go sit outside?"

"No, of course not. Do you want the Jeep keys?" he asked, concerned. He shot a look at Kate, as if to say _find out what's going on,_ and Kate nodded.

"Here, Mer, I'll come with you, I'm getting a headache, and the air conditioning is cranked way too high." She slid out and followed Mer into the hot oven of the fading day. Mer was breathing heavily, and looked as though she was ready to cry. She sat down on a bench outside.

"I'm sorry," she said, turning to Kate. "I had to get out of there."

Kate sat down next to her, "Okay, Mer, I know you better than this, and something's wrong. Or maybe not wrong," she amended. "But you _are_ hiding something from us. We know it. You know it."

Meredith's smile was wobbly. "That obvious, huh?"

"Not obvious, no. I just know you too well."

Mer turned to her and smiled hesitantly. "Well, only if you promise you won't tell anyone."

"I promise. Now… what's up?"

Mer looked over to check that Gibbs, Drew and Kelly were still inside, before taking a deep breath. "It's been killing me to keep it to myself for so long, but Kate…" She grabbed her hands and grinned. "Kate, I'm pregnant!"


	6. Chapter 6

It was early on a Saturday, and someone was knocking on the door of the flower shop. She resentfully turned to look at the clock, which said _0900_ , and Kate hadn't slept at all. She also hadn't changed out of her current outfit since the previous day.

Grumbling, she pulled her apron on, and went over, half-asleep to open the door.

Gibbs was standing there smiling at her. The smile slipped and then was back to full brightness.

"No one should look that cheerful at nine on a Saturday," she muttered.

"Good mornin' to ya too," he said cheerfully.

She rolled her eyes, leaning against the doorframe. "Can I help you with something or did you just come as a wake-up call I didn't order?"

"Nice to see that even this early on a Saturday – and trust me it ain't that early – your brain has a direct connection to your mouth."

"What do you want?" she asked, warily.

He held up a coffee, and offered a winning smile. She accepted the coffee, smiling as she got a whiff of it. It must have been percolating for at least a week. It was perfect, considering the night she'd had. "Long night?" he asked, sympathetically.

"Where's Kelly?" she asked in response once she'd had a sip of the coffee.

"Waitin' in the Jeep. She wanted to make sure you were decent."

Kate looked down at her rumpled clothes that she'd been wearing since the previous day, before turning back to him. "And?"

"You're more than decent, Katie. Might wanna do somethin' about the hair though."

She pulled back and looked at the mirror hanging behind the counter, sighing when she realized he was right, and her hair was sticking out in every direction. She'd been running her hands through her hair in frustration all night; it didn't exactly contribute to the image of sanity. "Go get Kelly, then come in and tell me what it is you want."

"Well, Katie," he smirked as he used the nickname. She rolled her eyes, but raised an eyebrow to encourage him to continue. "Any hidden gems in this little town?"

"You came to the flower shop at nine on a Saturday to ask me for something to _amuse you_?" she asked, as she stepped forward.

He took a step back, "Yes. Sort of." She'd never heard him sound so unsure of himself. "Did ya not sleep well again?"

"I _didn't_ sleep. I've been here all night. Why can't you go bother Drew and Meredith?"

"I couldn't. She needs rest… especially in her condition."

Kate fumbled with the coffee and he caught it neatly, handing it back to her with a smile. She grappled for words and then found them. "What- how- _how did you know_?"

"I'm a trained investigator, Katie. Wait." He stopped, staring at her. "Did _you_ know?"

"Yes, she told me like… a week ago."

"Oh." A look of relief crossed his face. "Good. That's good. And c'mon, Katie, I've been around pregnant women before. I have a daughter."

"Are you talking about me again?"

Kate and Gibbs both turned, distracted from their conversation, only to find Kelly standing there with a grocery bag – one that was sending out the smells of breakfast food. It wasn't from the diner, because Gibbs had said they weren't bothering Meredith… "Gibbs?" she asked suddenly, turning to him. "Did you make me breakfast?"

"It's a bribe, although more of an apology now. Sorry for botherin' ya while you're working."

"You brought food. I guess you're forgiven."

Kelly laughed, carrying it inside, leaving an awkward silence between the two of them.

"Kate, does Drew know?"

"I don't think so. I was kind of afraid to ask."

He chuckled. "Think she knows that I know?"

"I doubt it. I think Mer has her own issues right now."

"Like a baby?" he asked. "She can't keep it a secret for much longer."

"I'm pretty sure she's just trying to figure out the best way to tell him," she reassured him, a hand on his arm. He looked down at it, a slow grin spreading across his face. She pulled away, as though he was burning hot, and stepped back. "I have to finish this order."

"Order?"

"Fancy resort on the lake requested flowers for a wedding," Kate explained, rubbing a hand over her tired eyes. "And they wanted them by today."

"Any way that I can help?" he asked, looking at her. "You look exhausted, Katie."

"I am exhausted. But I need to finish this."

"Why?" he asked, holding her gaze.

"Because, Gibbs. I need the money."

"I was unaware you were destitute."

"I'm not _destitute,_ " she said, scandalized. "I just… It's a big order."

He raised an eyebrow. "How big?"

"Big enough to pay my bills for the rest of June," she said with a smile. "I think I should get the order done."

"Good idea. And then ya can eat breakfast, then we can go out on the town."

"Nope, you're coming with me to the resort to deliver these. There's a farmer's market that happens there on Saturdays. So I get my job done, and you get your amusement." She rolled her eyes. It would be nice to get out of town, that much she'd admit.

"Katie," he said, grabbing her hand as she went to sit back down at the counter to finish the order. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said softly. "You didn't know."

"I can get Kelly to bring you food?" he offered.

"No, Gibbs, I'll get my greasy fingers all over the flowers, and then they'll dock my pay."

"Fancy resort, huh? Sound pretty snotty."

"They are. But this is the first time I'm filling an order for them, and I want them to like me. Because that could be a big source of income in the future. That's important."

"I'm not gonna disagree," he said with a smile, and his face turned stern. "But you are _eatin'_ before ya do anything else. I don't want ya overworkin' yourself."

"You're such a parent," she said, rolling her eyes.

"That's his job," Kelly piped up.

"I know it is, but I'm not his kid," Kate muttered, as she sat down behind the counter.

"C'mon Kate, we made you French toast!" Kelly said with a smile, as if she knew that Kate couldn't say no to her

Gibbs held her eyes for a second, eyebrows raised in amusement and then he said one word. "Please?"

The look on his face was charming, disarming even. Reluctantly, she nodded, and Kelly carried over a plate, setting it down in front of her, before giving her a disarming smile of her own. It must have run in the family, that charming grin that could take down anyone at twenty paces.

Kate almost couldn't mind. She adored the friendship she had with Kelly and Gibbs, even if it was a strange one, and she wasn't entirely sure of the role she played in their life. And she didn't know what would happen the rest of the summer, and maybe she wasn't entirely happy, but she wasn't exactly miserable either.

"How is it Kate?" Kelly asked, watching her take a bite of the French toast.

Swallowing, she offered a smile. "I can't complain. Did you make this delightful creation?"

"I helped," Kelly explained. "Dad did most of the work."

"Well, it's good. Thanks to you and your dad." She smiled across the counter at Gibbs, who looked surprised to see her smile. And then he grinned back.

"Always a pleasure to help out a pretty lady."

"You're talking about your daughter right?"

"Dunno what ya mean. You're pretty, Kate," he said.

"Flatterer. If you really want to help, then can you help me work on this order. It won't finish itself."

"Gladly." He looked across the counter at the photo lying there. "Is this the reference?"

"Yeah."

"This is a nice arrangement Kate. You do this yourself?"

"It's based on one of the arrangements my grandmother used to do, but yes."

"She sounds pretty talented."

"I only took her original design, and tweaked it a little. Nothing too exciting, I'm afraid."

He grinned, and sat down beside her. "Well, they say many hands make light work. I'll help ya out."

"I can pay you," she offered.

"We'll come with you and get our amusement that way," he said with a smile. "I don't need your payment."

"I'm not a charity case, Gibbs. I _will_ pay you back."

"How about ya let me take you to dinner and we'll call it even?" he asked, blue eyes twinkling with suppressed amusement.

"That's not being even, Gibbs!" she said, frustrated, before taking a deep breath. "I'll buy you and Kelly dinner tonight, okay? I know a good place, out in the middle of nowhere."

"Right," he said with a nod. "Okay. That _definitely_ don't sound like a plan to get us alone and kill us."

"Kate would never kill _me_!" Kelly piped up with a grin.

"Kelly's right," Kate admitted. "I wouldn't dare kill her."

"Thanks Kate," he mumbled into the flowers.

"Anytime," she replied sweetly, before joining him again at the counter. "Let's go, we have to get this order done and delivered by ten!"

 **XNCISX**

"Whoa," Gibbs said softly, looking up at the imposing building. "When I make my first million, this is the place _I'll_ come for vacations."

"Better get started on earning that first million soon," Kate said with a grin, as she looked around. "Fancy, isn't it?"

"Yeah, fancy about describes it. Actually, _luxurious_ would be a better fit."

"I didn't know you had such big words in your vocabulary!" Kate said, nudging him with her elbow.

He grinned down at her, pushing her elbow away. "Don't make fun of me, Katie. I'm part of the reason ya got this done on time."

"It would've been done on time anyway, but you just _had_ to barge in and interrupt my life, like always!" She was teasing but she still saw a flash of hurt in his eyes. She immediately felt bad, and sighed. "I didn't mean that, Gibbs, I'm sorry."

"I could have barged in on Meredith and Drew, but I might have accidentally spoiled the secret."

"She'll tell him eventually, Gibbs."

"How much do you know?" he asked, looking over at her.

"It's their first baby," Kate said softly. "And they're so… so…"

"Young?" he offered.

"Yes. I feel like I should have settled down by now!"

"Well, Kate, there's no shame in being single. This isn't the 1700s. We don't expect ya to be married before you're thirty."

"My mother would have," she said softly.

He turned to look at her, surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah. She was not, as my grandma used to tell me, a fan of young women going around and being unmarried."

"Well, she's not here. And I am," Gibbs said. "What did your grandma think?"

"She said I'd do what it took to survive. Marriage or not."

"That sounds like a more positive worldview," Gibbs offered with a smile.

"Oh look!" she said, eager to change the subject. "There it is!"

"The farmer's market!" Kelly yelled, and took off in front of them.

Kate smiled to herself, looking after Kelly. "I wish I remembered what it was like to be that young again."

"Ya can't change the subject forever, you know," he said to her.

"I can try," she retorted.

He grinned down at her, "All right, Katie, show me this farmer's market."

"Do they not have those in DC?" she asked, sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes. "Not that I have time to go to."

"Your work keeps you busy?"

"I spend all my time working or with Kelly."

"Anything fun?"

"I build boats," he said, as if that should be self-explanatory. "What about you?"

"I run the flower shop. That fills up all my time."

"Is that what you do for fun?"

"No, Gibbs, it's what I do to survive. I do what it takes to survive. Fun isn't really part of my vocabulary anymore."

"It isn't?" he asked, quietly.

"No." Wanting to get some of her own back, she turned the conversation back to him. "So that ex of yours, Diane, she's…?"

"My second wife," he said shortly, glaring at her. He'd caught on to her subject change, but didn't remark on it further, beyond rolling his eyes.

"Kelly said she was-,"

"She's married to my friend Tobias. That was their daughter, Emily."

"Does Tobias _know_ about that friend of hers?"

"Probably. He _is_ a fed, after all. Dunno who this _Victor_ is though." Gibbs shifted from foot to foot.

Kate looked over at him, only to see that he wasn't happy, and almost felt guilty for bringing up the subject of exes. She had just wanted to be free of his scrutiny for once. "You know," she said lightly. "Never took you for a farmer's market type."

"I don't go in much for types, Katie. And thought you knew better."

She looked ahead to where Kelly was running. "You know, Gibbs, you're so good with her."

"She's my daughter." His voice was incredulous, as if he couldn't believe she was praising him for something so average.

"Most parents would have a hard time raising their child alone."

"I've had help, Kate."

"It takes a village?" she asked, and he shrugged, almost to himself.

"Somethin' like that, yeah."

"It's hard though, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Her other parent is dead. Lots of parents would have a hard time getting over such a loss."

"Speakin' from experience there, Kate?"

"I don't have kids."

"I meant from the other end of it," he said, turning to face her. "You said your parents died when you were a kid, right?"

"I did. My grandparents raised me. I was lucky to have them." Gibbs stopped in front of the fruit stand, running his hands over the peaches, and cherries. As he reached for a bag of cherries, Kate put her hand on his. "Not those."

"What do ya mean, not these? They look fine."

She turned over one of them, to reveal white fur growing on them. "If you like eating fruit that looks like a yeti, then sure."

Kelly, who had rejoined them, immediately drew back from the table in disgust. "Ew!"

"Great, Kate, turn my kid off of eating fruit," Gibbs muttered under his breath.

"Says the man who continually feeds her pizza, and mozzarella sticks," Kate retorted.

"At least I remember to feed her," he said with a grin. "When was the last time you ate?"

"When you brought me breakfast this morning."

"Exactly. I've already got one kid, and now I gotta look after you too." He kept looking through the fruit, and then paused, turning to her. "How did ya know about the cherries?"

"Okay, first of all, I never _asked_ for you to look after me." She was annoyed, but strangely amused that she knew something Gibbs didn't. "And I worked at a fruit orchard for a summer when I was eighteen. I spent a _lot_ of time sorting cherries. They didn't teach you how to sort fruit at the general store?"

"I didn't work there, Kate, and it's not a _grocery_ store, it's a _general_ store. We were more canned goods than fresh produce. And it's my dad's store." He bought a couple of the peaches, and then Kate bought a different bag of cherries. "Didn't know ya liked cherries, I would have bought you some."

"They aren't for me," Kate explained. "They're for Meredith. She needs fresh fruit."

"Right."

"It's good for the baby," Kate continued.

Kelly gasped, and it was then that Kate remembered she was with them. "Meredith is having a baby?" she asked, surprised, looking between Kate and Gibbs.

Gibbs and Kate exchanged a helpless look, before Kate shrugged, taking a bite of the peach Gibbs offered. "Yeah, Kelly, she is."

"Is it a secret?" Kelly asked.

"Currently yes. I don't even know If Drew knows," Kate said, with a sigh. "This is good fruit."

"Thank you. I appreciate the verdict from the former orchard girl."

"Don't call me orchard girl," she grumbled.

Kelly was giggling, but then her eyes went wide. "Look, dad! Candy!"

Gibbs sighed when he saw the giant candy stall set up. "Great, you won't eat the fruit I buy, but you'll go spend a bunch of money on the candy cart. How typical."

"I get it from you," Kelly said with a smile. "Please dad!"

"Yeah, go on. Get yourself something."

Kelly turned, as though to run over, before pausing and turning back to them. "Do you guys want anything?"

"No, we're good, Kel."

"Yeah," Kelly muttered, as she turned away. "Just each other. And I can't buy that off the cart."

"Kelly!" Gibbs groaned as his daughter took off.

Kate took another bite of her peach, unsure of what to say.

Gibbs cleared his throat, before turning to her. "Kate?"

"Yes Gibbs?"

"It's… you think it's hard for me, raisin' my daughter without a partner?"

"Yes, it certainly sounds difficult. My mother couldn't do it."

"And not everyone can. But the way I see it, Kate, is history repeats itself."

"Oh?" she asked, trying to hide how puzzled she was. "Really?"

"Yeah. See, Kate, my mom died when I was a kid."

"Oh."

"Yeah. And my dad, he had to do it by himself. I was lucky to have him. Same way you were lucky to have your grandparents."

"Okay..?" She wasn't entirely sure where he was going.

"And now look at me. Always said I wouldn't end up like my father, but here I am… without a wife, and raising a child by myself. Like it or not, I am my father."

"I've never met your father, but I would say that it's proof that single parents do a great job. You turned out okay, didn't you?" she asked, and they made eye contact for a minute, his face serious.

He shook his head, but smiled at her. "Yeah, sure Katie. I turned out just fine."

"You don't sound so sure."

"Well, you turned out okay too, didn't ya?" he asked.

"That's different."

"Only a little bit," he said softly. " _We_ turned out okay… even if it was a little unconventional, right?"

"Sure, Gibbs. And I'm sure Kelly is going to grow up to be pretty awesome herself. She's an amazing kid, Gibbs."

"I said I was lucky to have my dad, and I'm lucky to have her." He smiled at his daughter, and Kate wondered for a second, just what it was like to be a parent.

Kate squeezed his hand, and he turned to look at her, confused. She lost her words for a second, staring into his eyes, before figuring it out. "She's lucky to have you, Gibbs."


	7. Chapter 7

"I can't believe you haven't told him yet!" Kate groaned, pretending to bash her head off the kitchen counter.

"Stop your self-abuse," Mer scolded, continuing with her chopping. "If you're going to bother me in the kitchen, you might as well make yourself useful."

"Seriously, Mer?" Kate asked, reaching over and taking the knife from her. "You need to tell him!"

"And I will! It just… needs to be special, y'know? What do I even say to him?"

"Oh, gee, I don't know, how about _hey Drew, guess what, we're married and now I'm having a baby_! I feel like that would do the trick," Kate muttered.

"Shut up!" Meredith took a swing at her with the clay bowl, and Kate barely managed to duck, laughing.

"Mer, it seems pretty elementary to me. Tell him you're pregnant."

"But-,"

"I don't really think there is a _but_ you can apply to this situation, Mer."

Mer sighed. "I guess I'll just wait until the time is right."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but you can only keep it a secret for so much longer," she said with a grin. "He'll find out eventually, so you should probably tell him _before_ you're the size of a house!"

"I know _that_ ," Mer said crossly, as she rolled her eyes again. Kate looked her up and down.

"Have you at least been to a doctor, Mer?"

"What are you, my mother?"

"No. I'm just… worried."

"Having kids, Kate, is a normal part of human existence. You should try that sometime."

Kate flinched at that remark, oddly stung by her friend's words. Normally, the "you should settle down" talk came from the rest of the town, but not Mer. Mer, who had seen what she'd gone through in the spring, who knew better than anyone not to question Kate's decisions. Instead of making a retort (though she was tempted), she simply kept going with the pasta salad she was making.

Mer reached over and touched her hand. "I'm sorry, Kate, that was a bitchy thing to say."

"Well," Kate said, trying to keep her voice light. "I think you have every right to be cranky. You are pregnant after all."

"Cranky yes. A bitch, no. I shouldn't be telling you how to live your life."

"Well we can't all meet our soulmates at sixteen," Kate teased.

"Soulmates?" came a voice from the doorway, and both of them turned to find Kelly standing there, carrying a plate of sandwiches. "What about soulmates?"

"Mer and I were just talking about how I'm still single," Kate said, and Mer crossed her eyes at her.

"What's the problem with being single?" Kelly asked.

"There is no problem," Kate said firmly. Meredith snorted to herself, and Kate just rolled her eyes. "Are we almost ready to go?"

"Dad says at this point, we're just waiting for you." Kelly's smile was infectious, but her hair was sticking out everywhere. She turned to leave. "Dad says to hurry up, or we're leaving you guys behind!"

"Kelly!" Kate called, and Kelly stopped, halfway in and out of the house.

"Hey, you want to air condition the whole neighborhood?" Mer asked her. "In or out, Kel, you can't do both!"

Kelly stepped inside. "What is it, Kate?"

"Do you want me to braid your hair?"

"You will?"

"Sure! Why not? And besides, you don't want it whipping around your face on the rides do you?"

"Or get cotton candy in it," Mer chimed in, as she pulled plastic wrap over the bowl. She paused thoughtfully. "Mmm… cotton candy."

"You're not hungry again already?" Kate asked, incredulous. "I just watched you eat a breakfast the size of Texas!"

"It's normal for someone in her condition to be hungry," Kelly said rationally, as she sat down in one of the kitchen chairs. "Since she's eating for two."

Mer groaned. "Jesus, what do I need Drew for when I've got the two of you hovering over me?"

It was Gibbs' turn to walk in, the screen door slamming behind him. "Excuse me, ladies, but when exactly are we plannin' on leavin'? If we go now, we _may_ get to the fairgrounds before midnight. Or at least before the fireworks."

"Kate's hair salon is now open for business!" Kate said, ignoring him, as she pulled a brush through Kelly's hair. She looked up, and took a step back, as if surprised by his appearance. "Gibbs! Been standing there long?"

"Just long enough to be wounded, Kate," he said, holding a hand over his heart. "Wanna do my hair next?"

She eyed his hair, which was short and grey. "I doubt I could do much with it. A little short, isn't it Gibbs?"

"Practical."

"Must save a fortune on shampoo."

"I get by. And what about you?" he asked, walking over and flicking her braid over her shoulder, using the end to tickle her cheek. She swatted him away.

"What about me?"

"Gonna open up a combination hair salon and flower shop now? You put the rest of main street to shame."

"Or put them out of business," Mer chimed in. "Thankfully, she's not much of a cook, or she'd put _us_ out of business too." She looked outside. "It's too damn hot."

"Mer," Kate said, nodding towards Kelly in warning.

"Sorry, sorry. Too hot for my liking."

"I can drive ya to the fairgrounds if you don't want to walk," Gibbs offered.

"No, Gibbs, I'm a big girl."

"And getting bigger," Kate muttered under her breath. Meredith shot her a dirty look, but continued.

"I'll be fine. It's just a little heat."

"Still."

"I'm a bit sturdier than you give me credit for, Gibbs."

"Fine, but if somethin' happens to you, we won't need to watch the Fourth of July fireworks," Gibbs said darkly. "Drew will cause a few explosions of his own."

Kate finished Kelly's hair, and stepped back, clapping her on the shoulder. "All right, Kelly, you can go on rides and eat midway food to your heart's content."

"Just don't make yourself sick," Gibbs warned.

"Yeah," Mer agreed with a wry grin. "That's _my_ job."

Kelly just looked between the three of them, before shaking her head. "Adults are weird."

 **XNCISX**

"Oooh," Mer said softly. "Look. Fried Oreos!"

"You're not eating fried Oreos, Mer," Kate hissed at her back. "They're so unhealthy!"

"Stop mothering me, Kate," Mer said, turning to her.

"I literally watched you turn three different shades of green after the fried butter!"

"Yeah, you looked like the Wicked Witch of the West," Drew contributed.

"Wow, what a compliment for your wife, Drew!" Gibbs grinned.

"I only turned green because I was looking at the Scrambler!" It was a protest, albeit a half-hearted one.

"Should have made you stay home," Kate said, locking eyes with her.

"You should have stayed home so you wouldn't have to parent me," Mer retorted.

"Hey, both of ya, stop." Gibbs stepped in between them, flashing his usual charming smile. "How about some midway games?"

"Oh c'mon dad, you know those are rigged," Kelly said.

"Bet you've never played with a sniper though, have ya?" he asked.

"I'll take you on, Gibbs," Kate found herself saying.

"Okay, I'm not getting in the middle of this pissing contest," Mer said, taking a step back.

"Yeah." Drew took Kelly's hand. "How about Mer and I take Kelly on a few rides?"

"It's up to Kelly," Gibbs said.

"I'd love to!" Kelly said, beaming. She grabbed Mer's hand in her other one, and the three of them took off, leaving Kate alone with Gibbs.

"So was that a challenge, Leroy Jethro Gibbs?"

"Maybe, but since when do ya know how to shoot?"

"Didn't you know?" she asked, stepping up to the game. "I'm full of surprises."

The midway worker handed them both darts, so that they could pop balloons. Kate had her eyes on one of the goldfish that were there, waiting to be claimed as prizes. She met Gibbs' eyes, and he smirked at her.

"Ready, aim, fire!"

Gibbs was good, she'd admit it, but she… _was better._ A few minutes later, Gibbs was pouting as they walked away.

"Come now, Gibbs," she said breezily. "No one likes a sore loser."

"It was a lucky shot."

"I told you, I'm full of surprises."

"Sure, but I bet ya can't play any other midway games."

"Are you trying to badass boast at me?" she asked, with a smile.

"Maybe."

"So modest."

"Alas, I admit it."

She giggled, and looped her arm through his. "All right, cowboy, prove me wrong."

"What do ya need a goldfish for anyway?"

"Company?" she asked.

"I told ya," he said softly. "Get a dog. Or a boyfriend."

"A boyfriend?" she asked, unimpressed.

"A girlfriend?" he asked, blinking innocently.

"Why does that always seem to come up around you?"

"It's you and Mer," he said, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

She sighed. "That obvious, huh?"

"Must have been quite the couple."

"Buried so deep in the closet, the whole town thought we were just the closest of friends," Kate said wistfully. "Probably a good thing too; they might have burned us at the stake. Are you like them, Gibbs?"

"I'd hate to burn ya at the stake. Hate to ruin such a pretty face," he said softly. Their eyes met for a moment, and it was a hesitant smile they shared. "And anyway, none of my business."

She scoffed. "And yet you asked."

"I'm an investigator."

"And you've had profile training," she said, and almost cursed her stupidity.

He stopped in his tracks, turning to stare at her. "What?"

"I mean, isn't that standard for investigators?" she asked.

He tilted his head, looking at her. "Never had profile trainin'… and yet _you_ know all about it. Why's that?"

"Oh look!" she said, stepping up to another midway game. "Skee ball! My favorite!"

"This is your favorite thing at the whole fair?" he asked, unamused.

"Favorite midway game," she amended.

"I'll just file that away underneath the _Information about Katie_ part of my brain."

"That file must be getting pretty large."

He smirked. "Size isn't everything."

They were handed the skee balls, and he turned to grin at her. "Ever had profile trainin', Kate?"

"No," she said, hesitating. How could she tell him the truth? Even on today of all days?

He grinned, turning back to the game. "I thought not."

"Hey, don't dismiss me like that, okay? I earned my jockstrap!"

"Yeah?" he asked, tossing one of the balls. "It ever give you that empty feeling?"

"What?" she asked, focusing on her own game.

"Your jockstrap!

She turned to glare at him, unimpressed, only to see that he was amused. "No, like some species of frogs, I grow what I need."

"Ya like frogs, Kate?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. And then sighed. "I do. I'm very fond of frogs."

"Why?"

"Because they grow what they need."

"Don't ya have everything you need?" he asked, thoughtful.

"No. Not everything." _I don't have a family._

"Well," he said, throwing his last skee ball, before grinning at her. "I believe I just reclaimed my honor."

"What honor?" she snarked, rubbing a hand up and down her arm, trying to disguise the vulnerable moment.

"Pick your prize, sir!" the midway worker said with a grin. He was surely glad he'd talked a few more people into spending money, even if he had to hand over one of his cheap, mass-produced stuffed animals.

Gibbs pointed to the frog that was hanging up. "I'll take the frog, please."

The man handed it over, and as they walked away, Gibbs chuckled to himself, before handing her the frog. "Here ya go, Katie. A frog for a frog."

"Oh." She blushed. "Thanks. Is this just your way of gloating?"

He half-shrugged. "Nah. It just reminded me of you, little frog."

She inhaled the smell of the midway, as she cuddled the frog to her chest. All she could smell was fried food, and the salty popcorn, the sweet scent of funnel cakes, and the smell of trampled grass. Happy Fourth of July indeed. "Thank you Gibbs."

"Ya know, you can call me Jethro."

"It feels weird. It would be like calling Meredith Mrs. Brennan."

"It must be strange," he commented, and she turned to stare at him, confused by the change in subject.

"What do you mean?"

"The two of them, all settled down, startin' a family-,"

"And me, alone. I'm used to it," she said, cutting him off, before he could twist the knife in further. "Look. Want to go on the carousel?"

"Sure."

They handed over the necessary ride tickets, before climbing onto the carousel together, taking two horses that were right next to each other.

"When I was a kid," Gibbs mused, "Back home. Dad used to take me to this park, where there was a carousel. Five cents to ride."

"You were young once?" she asked, quietly delighted that he was opening up like this.

"Hilarious. And no matter how the store was doing, he'd _always_ have the five cents. And then we'd play around on the beach and he'd take me for ice cream."

"It sounds like a good time."

"Yeah," he grinned to himself. "And when Kelly was a little girl, I used to take her there. Keep the tradition alive…"

"History repeating itself," she said softly. "So that's what you meant."

"Yeah," he shrugged. "History is important, huh Katie?"

"It makes us who we are," she replied. They weren't speaking very loudly, and she could still somehow hear him over the sounds of the carousel, the playful music not enough to drown him out. She could see the nostalgia in his eyes, as he turned to her.

"Nothin' wrong with history, Kate. And ya know… there's no shame in being lonely."

"Who said anything about lonely?"

"You said, when I brought up Mer and Drew-,"

"I'm used to it, Gibbs. Surely even you get lonely?"

"Sometimes."

She shook her head. "You've been better at letting go than I have."

"You don't let go, ya just move on. And ya remember the good times. Like right now."

She looked over at him with a smile. "This is a good time?"

"Oh yeah, Katie." It was a small smile, but it was real. "This is better than _good._ "

 **XNCISX**

"All right," Gibbs was looking at the long line of food trucks, before turning to his daughter, who could not stand still, she was too excited. "You can have _one_ thing."

"Aw c'mon dad!"

"Maybe if you're lucky, I'll share some of mine with you," Mer said with a wink as she took a bite of her deep-fried Oreos, that she'd gotten despite Kate's warnings.

"Really?" she perked up.

Before Mer could answer, Gibbs shook his head. "I'm tellin' ya Kelly. One thing. And if ya complain, you're sharin' whatever it is with me."

"Oh," Kate said from beside him, disappointed. "I was going to ask you to split a funnel cake with me."

Kelly smirked as she looked between Gibbs and Kate. "Yeah dad, share a funnel cake with her! I can get cotton candy or popcorn or something!"

"Are ya sure, Kate?" he asked, turning his bright blue eyes on her.

She smiled. "I do love a funnel cake, but I don't have a hollow leg. I'd be satisfied to split it with you."

"Sounds good to me." Kelly grinned, looking between the two of them. "Dad can I have my money now?"

"Sure." He handed her the money, before turning to the Brennans. "Can ya watch her please?"

"Sure. I definitely came today to watch children!" Drew rolled his eyes.

"Be nice Drew," Kate warned. "Children aren't _that_ bad."

"Says you."

Meredith gave Kate a brave smile before following Drew and Kelly away, off to search among the other food trucks. Gibbs went to buy the funnel cake, and came back with two forks. They sat down at a picnic table, staring at the mound of fried dough and powdered sugar, before grinning at each other.

"She really should tell him," Gibbs said, conversationally as he passed her a fork.

"You don't need to tell me," Kate said, tearing off a strip of cake with her fork, and eating it. She sighed, closing her eyes as she savored the taste. "Oooh this is good."

"It is pretty good." He sounded as though he was trying not to smile, and she opened her eyes, only to find that he hadn't eaten any yet, but was watching her instead.

"I think maybe you should wait until you've had some to offer your opinion," she teased.

He grinned across the table at her, and somehow it made him look a few decades younger. It was probably just the energy of the day having its effect on him, the way it did her. He took a bite, and grinned. "Good."

"I thought so."

"Sweet."

"Yep."

He swallowed, and grinned across the table at her. "I was talkin' about you, funny enough."

"Very flattering." She tossed her fork on the table, and started ripping pieces of funnel cake off with her bare hands. It wasn't exactly good manners, but it was too good, and she'd gone too long since lunch to care. Gibbs was watching her, eyebrows raised, before shrugging and tossing away his fork too, the two of them tearing into the funnel cake with abandon.

She looked up, only to find him staring. "What?" she asked.

"Ya…" He started laughing. "Ya have powdered sugar on your nose."

"Oh damn it!" She started hunting for a napkin, but Gibbs reached across the table, and swiped it off with his thumb. She swallowed hard, watching him lick off his thumb, before grinning at her. She had no idea where her mind was going with the mental image, but it wasn't a good, healthy place, considering her completely platonic relationship with the man.

"It was a very good look for ya, Katie. But I think I prefer your freckles."

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks."

"I mean it," he said softly. "I love your freckles."

"I get them from my grandmother. She was Scots, and couldn't tan for the life of her. She'd be pasty white, but have a lot of freckles."

"Make you look younger."

She snorted. "Like that's something to celebrate. Thanks for making me feel younger than I am."

"I didn't mean it as a bad thing."

She tried to do what she'd been doing all day whenever the conversation turned serious – change the subject – but when she reached for the rest of the funnel cake to stop herself from talking, she found it gone. So she searched her brain for a subject, and then found one. "The fireworks are starting soon."

"Uh huh," he narrowed his eyes, watching her. And then smiled. "Want to go on one more ride before they start?"

"What did you have in mind?" she asked.

He gestured to the Ferris Wheel, and her mind blanked in panic. She couldn't ride the Ferris wheel with him, that was one of the oldest romantic clichés in the book! "I was thinkin'…" He paused, rubbing his neck again with his hand, and she realized… he was embarrassed. As if on cue, she blushed. She couldn't even dare to think of the implications of what was happening.

"Sure, why not?" she said quickly, standing up and throwing out the trash from their funnel cake. The two of them walked over to the Ferris wheel together, walking so closely together that their hands kept bumping each other, the two of them in stride.

Gibbs cleared his throat as they stood in line, and she could tell he wanted to say something. "Katie… have ya ever been to DC?"

Well, now she was well and truly trapped. She couldn't lie to him, he'd see through her in an instant. She seemed to have a face made of glass when it came to him. "Lots of people have," she said, resorting to sarcasm. "Funny enough, as it's the nation's capital."

"No, I mean…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I feel like I've seen ya before. Somewhere. I recognize you, Kate."

"I'm flattered?" she said hesitantly. "How could you possibly know me?"

"I don't know… I just… know you from somewhere."

"Right. I suppose _you_ believe in soulmates?" she asked flippantly.

He turned to look her at. "You think I'm messin' with ya." He looked almost sad at the thought. "I just feel like I've known you my whole life."

"Impossible," she said, as they were finally allowed onto the ride. "You're older than me, how could you have known me your whole life?"

As they ascended, their car on the Ferris wheel rocking back and forth, Kate felt entirely too at ease with the man next to her. "Would ya ever want to move to DC?" he asked.

"There isn't anything for me here, so sure."

"If ya had a boyfriend, would you go to live with him?" Gibbs asked. She turned to stare, incredulous, only to find that he wasn't meeting her eyes.

"I don't know what you mean, Gibbs. You're talking in riddles. I don't have a boyfriend, and I'm unlikely to acquire one any time soon. This is a small town, and I am essentially a pariah here. People aren't exactly lining up to confess their love."

"Well, that don't mean that no one loves you," he said carefully.

"Oh yeah? Well if there was someone out there who loved me, why the hell aren't they speaking up?"

"Maybe they're afraid," he replied. His voice was quiet.

She turned to look at him, and saw something she couldn't quite understand in his eyes. "Afraid?"

"Maybe they love you but it wouldn't be right to speak up."

"To speak up?"

"To confess. To drag ya away from the life you have here."

"You talk like there is such a person."

He reached over, taking her hand. He squeezed it gently, before running his thumb across the back of her hand. "Maybe there is."

"And why can't they speak up?"

"Because they are definitely afraid. And the truth is hard sometimes."

"The truth can be a necessary evil," she agreed. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"All I can say, Katie, is there are people out there who would be lucky to have you."

"There are people I'd be lucky to have."

"Katie, I-," he paused. And then shook his head, sighing. He gave her a bittersweet smile. "I'm sittin' on top of the world, and I can't help but admire the view."

"Oh?" she asked, almost to herself, as they both leaned in, to seal whatever had just transpired. "On top of the world, huh?"

"Sure feels like it," he murmured, as their lips were about to touch, and she could smell funnel cake, coffee and sawdust, an intoxicating perfume that made her head spin.

And then she nearly fell, as the fireworks exploded above them, startling both of them. Sheepishly, he grinned, and she was sure she was the same shade as a tomato, but she managed to smile back at him. It had been a magic spell, that was all. The joy of a summer night, and the passion of a patriotic holiday. And nothing more.

"Happy Fourth of July, Katie," he said, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Same to you, Jethro."

In the light of the fireworks, even if they were leaving the magic behind, she knew it was _exactly_ the right thing to say. And the look on his face confirmed it for her.


	8. Chapter 8

Kate had known for a long time that trying to avoid someone you didn't want to see was a lot harder in a small town than in a big city. And she'd lived in both. Nevertheless, she'd done a bang-up job of pretending that Leroy Jethro Gibbs didn't exist.

Or she would have, if Kelly wasn't coming to help her out in the flower shop every day. Kelly knew nothing about what had happened on the Fourth of July, so of course she would invite her father in at the end of the day when he came to pick her up, or he would bring Kate a coffee in the morning, all because Kelly would ask him to… It was very hard to avoid the man when she spent every day with his daughter.

And it was one such morning, sitting in the shop that they conversation had turned, at some point, to art. Usually their conversations were nonsensical, wandering from one conversation topic to another like a lost traveler, and today was no different.

"I like that guy with the watches…" Kelly said thoughtfully, liberally brandishing the watering can.

"Kel…" Kate said, watching her.

"I don't know what his name is but his art seems really cool…"

"Kel, do you mind?" Kate asked with a grin, nodding towards the young girl. "You're watering the floor."

"Oh!" Kelly adjusted the watering cane, blushing, as she stepped over the puddle to the rest of the flowers she was meant to be watering. "Sorry."

"It's okay. And you're thinking of Salvador Dali."

"Yeah, him." Kelly brightened considerably.

"Do you like art, Kelly?" Kate asked, and the younger girl nodded, excited.

"Yeah! What about you?"

"Oh, I don't mind art." She smiled to herself, as she looked through the accounts. "Crap. If there's one thing that _isn't_ art, it's doing the math for the store."

"You don't like math?"

"I passionately love art, but just as passionately hate math," she grumbled, picking up a pen. "But forget me and math… it isn't a good track record."

Kelly grinned. "It isn't?"

"Nah. I did _pass_ at least. But next to my brother, Mr. Junior Harvard, it wasn't enough." Sensing that she'd revealed a _little_ too much about her personal life, Kate changed the subject. She was getting good at it too. "Have you ever been to an art gallery?"

"No," Kelly sighed.

Kate looked up in surprise, hearing the longing in the young girl's voice. "You mean you've never been to the national art gallery in DC?"

Kelly shook her head. "Nope. Have you?"

"Yeah, a long time ago." Not long enough ago. "There was this one Monet painting I really liked."

"Monet?"

"French artist, did a lot of paintings of flowers. We used to have one of his paintings hanging in our living room."

"Really?"

"Yeah, _The Bridge at Argenteuil._ It's a nice painting, but I don't think it was one of his popular ones. Since it _didn't_ have flowers."

"Hmmm…" Kelly paused. "What about that painting from _Ferris Bueller_?"

Kate didn't even try and hide her surprise at that. "You've seen _Ferris Bueller_?"

"Yeah…?" Kelly shrugged. "I like movies."

"Isn't that movie a little… mature?"

"Maybe, but who cares? What's the painting called?"

Kate shook her head as she smiled, "The painting is called _A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte_."

"Is that anything like Monet? It sounds French." Kate grinned at Kelly putting the pieces together. She was a smart girl.

"They're both French artists…" Kate leaned back in her chair, and sighed. "France."

"What about France?"

"I'd love to go there… see the Louvre, and the architecture… but I'm just a broke florist. No trips to Paris for me." She didn't bother to mention the notion that Paris was for lovers, or at least people in love. It wasn't exactly an idea to share with a scarily independent ten-year-old.

"You should go someday."

"You should too… especially if you love art."

"I wish _I_ could be good at art."

"What do you mean? How do you know you're not good at art?" Kate asked, an idea forming in her mind.

"Well I've never really tried it-,"

"Exactly. How can you not be good at something without trying it? I know I'm terrible at a lot of things… math… singing… but at least I tried them."

"You sing?"

"Not well. I'm an okay painter though, as I've learned."

"Oh. So… you paint?" Kelly asked.

"Yep. You know, some afternoons when the light is right, I set up an easel in my backyard and just paint… I get to forget everything going on around me and lose myself in the art."

"Does it help?" Kelly asked, tilting her head.

"What do you mean?"

"Whatever you're sad about. Does it help?"

Kate blinked, stunned by her perceptiveness. "It does actually. You should join me sometime."

"I wouldn't be disruptive?"

Kate nudged her shoulder. "Nah. That's usually your dad's specialty."

Kelly giggled. "Fair enough."

Kate looked over at the clock, and brushed her hands together, shedding dirt all over her apron. "All right, what do you say we take a break? I left some lemonade in the fridge."

"What about food?"

Kate rolled her eyes even as she smiled. "I knew you'd ask that somehow, so I took the precaution of having fruit ready."

Kelly wrinkled her nose. "Fruit?"

"Hey, hollow legs don't discriminate," Kate warned. "Lucky that you don't get scurvy, the way your dad is feeding you."

"He's _trying_ ," Kelly insisted. "Besides… it's not _that_ bad. He cooks… sometimes."

"Fine." Kate raised her hands in surrender. "Okay. But I'm not eating the fruit salad all by myself."

"You should. Dad says you're going to wither away to skin and bones if you're not careful."

"Well, what does he know anyway?" Kate asked, annoyed.

"He says you don't eat enough to be healthy."

"Oh, and I suppose he spends a lot of time examining my body?" Kate asked, flippantly, not aware of the double entendre of her words.

Kelly snorted. "Oh, he sure does."

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Kate asked, as Kelly disappeared into the back room.

"Did you say the lemonade was in the fridge?" Kelly seemed to have learned from Kate exactly how to avoid answering questions that shouldn't be answered.

"Yes. And the fruit salad."

Kelly stuck her head around the door. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah, Kelly, I'm coming." She stood up, brushing the dirt from her apron, vowing to give the shop a good sweeping when they closed. She dearly hoped that none of the town gossips would be in today to buy flowers – just one day of rest would satisfy her – and hoped even more dearly that Gibbs would not decide to show up while Kate was trying to keep his daughter healthy.

She ducked into the back room, where Kelly already had the lemonade poured, and the fruit salad dished out. Kate noticed that Kelly had generously given her the bigger portion, and rolled her eyes. "Is it just a Gibbs gene to be nosy?"

"No," Kelly said with a smile. "It's in our genes to care for people."

"Good genetics," Kate mutter sarcastically, and Kelly clearly noticed.

"Yep." Graciously, she ignored Kate acting like a moody teenager, and started eating her fruit salad. She paused, thoughtfully and gave Kate a look that made her feel like a glass window- Kelly could see right through her, and seeing Gibbs' eyes staring out of her face was unnerving to say the least. "Dad says that sometimes people think they don't need caring for, but they're the ones who actually need it the most."

"Speaking from experience, is he?" she asked, dryly, trying to hide how shaken up she felt by the young girl's analysis.

Kelly shrugged again. "Dunno. But Kate?"

"What?"

"Maybe it isn't a bad thing to have people take care of you?" She was terrible perceptive for a ten-year-old, and for a second, Kate hated it. She tensed, but forced a smile.

"Yeah. Maybe."

Kelly beamed at her, clearly thinking she'd gotten through to Kate. _Figures,_ Kate thought, _I get rid of one Gibbs and another comes right in with charm and overprotectiveness to take his place!_

 **XNCISX**

When Kate was painting, she could forget about the flower shop and its financial difficulties. She could forget that the house was falling down around her ears, and that the back porch was in need of a new coat of paint… Instead she had the radio sitting on that same faded back porch, and lost herself in the music. She wasn't a particularly good singer but had the enthusiasm to make up for it.

And she wasn't exactly singing… she was practically performing _Don't Stop Believing._

"Hey Katie." She turned, her first instinct to throw her paintbrush at the intruder. Which she did.

Violently.

"Ow! Dammit, hold your fire!" She blinked, and realized who it was. Gibbs was now wearing the cheerful yellow paint across his shirt, and he did not look amused, though there was a quirk at the corner of his mouth that threatened to turn into a smile.

"Oh… hi Gibbs." There was a silence, while they looked at each other, both of them clearly remembering the moment at the top of the Ferris wheel. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd come say hello. Didn't realize I'd be attacked with… art supplies."

"Sorry, my knife was in the shop."

He raised an eyebrow.

"It's a joke, Gibbs. I'm sorry about the paint…"

"It'll come out. I hope." He looked at his shirt, and grinned, swiping at it with his thumb, shaking his head as he did so. "Didn't know you were so dangerous, Katie."

"There's a lot about me you don't know," she retorted.

"Kelly told me you were into paintin', said I'd find ya back here."

"Well, clearly she was right."

"Whatcha paintin'?"

"The garden," she said, gesturing to the view. The gardens yes, but also the lake down below. It was a stunning view, that made it worth her while to be living in the crumbling ruins of a house long past its glory days.

"Flowers?" he asked.

"Hey if Monet can paint flowers, why can't I?"

"Because last I checked, you're not Monet."

"Hilarious. At least I can paint."

"I can paint," he said with a grin, leaning against the porch railing, smearing the paint on his shirt further. He looked only mildly irritated, and she grinned to herself.

" _You_?" she asked, incredulous. "You _paint_?"

"Don't sound so surprised there, Katie, I might get offended."

"I thought you were more of a building kind of guy."

"I _am_ very good with my hands," he said, and she rolled her eyes, even if he was grinning.

"Is there a reason you came here to pester me?"

"Told ya, I came to say hello. Didn't realize I'd be met with hostility."

"Ooh, pulling out the _big_ vocabulary. I didn't think you knew such big words."

"I'm full of surprises," he retorted, clearly mimicking her. Still leaning against the railing, he narrowed his eyes, fixing her with a stare that could have frozen Hawaii over. "Where the hell do I know you from?"

"It's a big world. Maybe I have a doppelganger."

"I doubt it. One you is enough."

She snorted. "Gee, thanks."

He walked over. "Sorry, that came out wrong, Katie. What I meant to say was that I can't imagine a world where there are two ladies as lovely as you."

She was sure she blushed, and instead focused on something else. "You have paint on your shirt."

"Last I checked, that was _your_ fault," he said, though he was smiling. He held up the paint brush. "Believe this is yours, Katie."

"Thank you, Gibbs." She reached for the paintbrush, and then flinched as he brushed it against her cheek, leaving a smear of yellow paint that matched the one across the front of his shirt.

"There," he said with a grin. "We match." The smile took at least twenty years off of his face, and it made her heart beat a little faster in that second. They were standing closer than they had since before the Fourth of July.

And cue the blush, a brighter red than the roses in the garden. She took a step back. "What was that for?"

"Well, Katie…" He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, clearly taken aback at being questioned. He was used to getting his way, barging in with a badge and barking orders, and having said orders carried out. He'd never said it, but she knew of his reputation. "I guess it's because ya remind me of sunshine."

"Cute." It wasn't a real compliment, and she watched his smile fade.

And then she smirked, flicking the bristles of the brush, so that the red paint splattered across his face. He stepped back with a yelp that was most undignified, and completely unlike the agent she knew him to be. She started giggling. "You look like you have chicken pox, Gibbs."

"Never had the chicken pox. Or the flu."

"Yeah," she said, crossing her arms over her stomach which still ached from laughing. "If I was a germ I wouldn't attack you either."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.

"You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile…" she sang, and watched him wince.

"Katie, are ya tryin' to tell me that my heart is three sizes too small? Because if so, I'm _hurt._ " He held a hand to his chest, as he pretended to be appalled. He stepped towards her, and gave her a predatory grin. He smeared a thumb dipped in red paint across her face, before dabbing a drop of paint on her nose.

"Gibbs!" she cried, backing up. "That's not fair!"

"It sure is, Rudolph," he said, before cracking up. She couldn't prevent the smile on her face, nor the way it grew as she tossed the container of green paint over him. It was all over his shirt, and laughing, he flicked drops of purple and blue paint over here, so that she had more spots than freckles over her face.

"You asshole!"

"That's a _bad word_!"

Kate followed this, by saying what she wanted to do to Gibbs, which was definitely a worse word. He was still laughing, chasing her around the easel, her braid whipping over her should as she turned to see if he was pursuing.

"Gotcha!" And he finally grabbed her wrist, pulling her around and against him, and though she succeeded in dripping green paint all over his clothing, he was similarly intent on covering her in yellow paint. She looked like a set piece from _The Wizard of Oz._ Both were so intent on their goal, that their feet tangled together, and they crashed into the easel, both of them landing on top of it, on the ground, laughing as they collapsed in a heap.

Kate shrieked as they went down, and then had the breath knocked out of her when the former Marine landed on top of her. And his face was hovering just inches above hers, and she wanted so damn badly to lean right in and kiss him-

"You okay, Katie?" he asked

She wanted to find the words, and nearly said out loud what she was thinking – that he was quite _solid_ and she liked it – but swallowed the words. It wasn't something he needed to hear from her, and she needed to _stop_ thinking about kissing him, she was sure she was blushing again. "Yeah," she managed, grateful that the words were there.

He grinned. "You're yellow."

"And you're green," she replied. "Your point, Gibbs?"

"You are my sunshine." The words clearly were not intended for her ears, and it was brief but infallible proof that Gibbs was like her- when met with someone he liked, he could not piece together a single sentence.

She blushed, and goddamn it, Gibbs was looking strangely embarrassed for a former Marine. "Uh… Gibbs?"

"Yeah?"

"Caitlin! Where are you?" Kate looked out from under Gibbs, mentally groaning when she realized where she recognized the shrill voice. Mrs. Abernathy. A notorious gossip with a filthy mind, who was about to find her in the garden, underneath a man.

This day couldn't get any more perfect.

"Caitlin- oh goodness."

"Gibbs, if you want to keep your privates, I suggest you get off me," she muttered through clenched teeth.

"Oh god, sorry Kate. Didn't mean to crush you." He rolled off of her, and the two of them stood up, as Kate turned to face Mrs. Abernathy, hands unintentionally clenching into fists. The woman drove her insane.

"Can I help you?"

"No," Mrs. Abernathy replied, with a smirk on her face as she looked between them. "I can see you're… preoccupied." She walked off, and Kate groaned to herself, dropping back in the grass, burying her head in her hands.

"God." She peeked through her fingers at Gibbs, and realized the sorry state they were both in. Both were covered in paint, and now grass stains from their tumble into the grass, and Kate had wisps of hair sticking out from her braid. She stood again. "Gibbs, I…" She paused, and blushed again. She hated how much time she spent losing herself around the man, but it couldn't be helped. "I'm sorry."

"There are rules against sayin' you're sorry, Katie." He grinned.

"Do you want to come in?" she asked, gesturing towards the house. "I'm not being a very good host."

"Really? And what do I get if I come in? A bucket of water thrown over me?"

"You can use my shower?" she offered. "You'll want to get that paint off before it dries too much, or it'll never come off."

"In that case, I'm thinkin' you should shower too." He paused, and realized what he said. "Not with me. But… dammit." He shook his head, and broke off, embarrassed.

She giggled. "I knew what you meant. I didn't think you were comin' on to me, Katie, don't worry."

"Good, because you're not my type." It was stupid, and she regretted it as soon as she said it, but the words were out there. She was lying, trying to save face.

He blinked, and for a second, she almost thought he was hurt by her callous remark. And then he did that usual, infuriating half-shrug, and grinned. "S'ok, Katie. I'm more into redheads anyway."

"Here," she grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the house. "I'll make you a cup of coffee."

"Sounds good to me, Katie." He watched her walk inside, and paused for a second on the porch. He shook his head after a moment, and sighed to himself. "That's too damn bad… but I know her. Dammit I _know_ her from somewhere!"

He followed her inside, lured both by the promise of fresh coffee and good company from a woman he was having trouble staying away from.


	9. Chapter 9

"Oh c'mon Kate, please!"

"Kelly, I'm not your dad, you can't just bat your big blue eyes at me, and expect me to do whatever you ask," Kate said, flipping the sign from _open_ to _closed._ She turned to Kelly who was grinning up at her innocently.

"Mer told me you made a cake."

"Mer needs to learn to keep her mouth shut," Kate retorted, as she untied her apron, hanging it on a hook, before turning back to Kelly. "Come on, we'll wait outside for your dad."

She locked up as Kelly flopped on the bench in front of the shop, as Gibbs walked up whistling, hands in his pockets. "Afternoon," he said cheerfully.

"Kate's invited us over for lemonade and cake!"

"You-," Kate said, turning to her in frustration, but it was quite hard to stay angry at the young girl. Gibbs was watching the two of them, eyebrows raised.

"We're invited to your place?" he asked.

"Sure," she replied, walking over as she shook her head. "I'm going to _kill_ Mer."

"You can't do that," Gibbs said, and she turned, surprised by the objection.

"I was unaware you were particularly fond of Meredith, Gibbs."

"I'm not. I'm more worried about the baby."

"I guess that means I have to wait."

"Yep, at least until she has that baby." He grinned at her. "Why exactly are ya plannin' to kill Mer?"

"She let slip to _somebody_ that I'd baked a cake yesterday, and that same _somebody_ is in possession of a hollow leg, so naturally that led to her inviting herself over." Kate grinned at him. "Great job with the teaching her manners."

Gibbs slapped a hand to his face, clearly embarrassed. They were still walking, and his hand brushed against hers, both of them pulling away at the same time, before exchanging a guilty look. She still felt awkward around him, in light of the Ferris wheel incident and then the paint fight in her backyard. She'd faced much worse threats than one man she had a crush on, but she had to see him every day and that didn't make it any easier. They walked in silence for a few minutes, and it was awkward, but she wasn't sure how to remedy it.

He grinned over at her. "So, cake, huh? What prompted this burst of domestic bliss?"

"Very funny Gibbs. We can't all be Domestic Dad."

He looked oddly hurt, but then offered a conciliatory smile. "That's Agent Domestic Dad to you, Miss Orchard Girl."

They were silent again, and she felt guilty for making fun of him. She knew he worked very hard, raising Kelly by himself, while still doing his job as an agent. They'd talked about it before, multiple times, and she shouldn't have brought it up.

"It's hot," she said, offering peace. And then _she_ wanted to slap a hand to her own face, because had she really been reduced to talking about the weather? She could have used lessons in manners herself, apparently. Well, lessons in both small talk and manners.

He looked up, and then over at her. "It's gonna rain."

"What? No way!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Ya don't believe me?"

"The radio this morning said it would be clear all day. The weatherman said it."

"No one actually believes what the weatherman says anyway," he said with a snort. "Only fools believe the weatherman."

"Well, call me a fool then."

"Never," he said, looking over her. She was surprised by the sudden tenderness in his voice, and had to look away from the piercing blue eyes. Thankfully, they'd reached the end of her driveway, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

There was a car she didn't recognize in her driveway. She exchanged a look with Gibbs, and she watched his posture change. A second before, he'd been relaxed and cheerful, but now he was on edge and wary, narrowing his eyes as he looked toward the house.

Kate ached for her sketchpad, because she wanted to capture the expression on his face. She had never seen him work before, though she'd heard of his reputation as an agent. At the same time however, she was wishing that her gun was at her hip instead of locked in her bedside table. She grabbed Gibbs' shoulder, unnerved by the mysterious car, and hating to be a damsel in distress. So instead of asking him to check it out, she asked. "You wouldn't happen to have any weapons on you, would you special Agent Gibbs?"

"Matter of fact…" he pulled out a pocket knife and handed it to her. She smiled to herself, taking it. "Here. Rule nine: never go anywhere without a knife."

"Noted sir. Thanks. Maybe you and Kelly should wait out here," she suggested.

His face registered disbelief at the thought of her not needing his help, and he shook his head. "No. I've got your back, Katie."

"Thanks Gibbs." Holding the knife in front of her, she made her way up to the house, opening the door as silently as she could manage, considering it was a creaky door in a crumbling house. She stepped inside, and could feel Gibbs behind her.

Her brain at that moment decided to serve up the reminder that he was deliciously solid, and steady, and goddammit she didn't have time for thoughts like that when someone was in her house. Still holding the knife, she walked into the living room, only to lower it in exasperation.

Her visitor simply raised his eyebrows at the sight of the knife, but merely smirked up at her, crossing his arms. "I travelled a long time to get here today, I am hungry, grumpy, dusty and jet-lagged beyond comprehension. And the _piece de resistance_ , my dear baby sister is holding me at knifepoint. I'm hurt."

"You know this chucklehead?" Gibbs muttered.

"Yeah," she replied. "This chucklehead, as you so eloquently put it, is my brother." Daniel stood up, and Kate noticed the suitcases sitting beside the couch. "Finally decided to come back, have you?" she asked. "Were you just tired of England?"

"No, Kate, although I'm glad you brought it up." He eyed Gibbs and Kelly, who were standing behind Kate, and then the knife Kate was holding. "Seems that we both have some stories to share, hmm?"

"Daniel-," a woman walked in, and Kate's knife went back up, involuntarily. The woman, whose dark hair was tied back from her face, frowned when she saw the knife. "Daniel?" she asked.

"Edie, this is my sister Kate. Kate, this is Edith Pierce."

The woman offered her a smile. "How do you do?"

"How exactly do you know my brother?" Kate asked, avoiding the question.

"She's my fiancée."

 **XNCISX**

Edith and Daniel were in the kitchen, having made themselves at home in Kate's house, and it made her uneasy. To have her brother here was one thing, but having his fiancée who Kate barely knew also there, wandering around Kate's home unsupervised… it set her teeth on edge.

And despite wanting to do something, or at least keep an eye on what was going on in the kitchen, she was sitting in the living room fidgeting with the tassels of one of the uglier throw pillows.

Gibbs and Kelly kept looking over at her, as though expecting her to have a certain reaction. And Kate remembered then that she still had Gibbs' knife. She passed it back to him silently.

Kelly, trying to break the silence, started talking. "I love Edie's accent. She sounds like James Bond."

"Which one?" Gibbs asked.

Kelly shrugged.

Kate smiled. "Or the Queen."

"Who cares about the Queen when it could be James Bond?" Kelly asked, offended.

"You think James Bond is cooler than the Queen?" Kate asked.

"She's got her priorities sorted apparently," Gibbs said with a grin.

"James Bond is fictional."

Kelly put a hand to her chest. "He's real to _me_."

Gibbs was laughing, and then noticed that Kate was still sitting silently. "You okay, Katie?"

"I'm fine, Gibbs. It was just a little… unexpected. I knew he'd met someone. I didn't expect him to show up unannounced with a fiancée."

"Maybe she's pregnant," Kelly suggested.

Kate and Gibbs both turned to stare at Kelly, who merely shrugged. Gibbs shook his head. "What am I gonna do with you, kid?"

"What am I going to do with you, dad?" she asked in return.

"Tea is made!" Daniel called, carrying in a tea tray. "And Kate, I'm disappointed. You haven't introduced your man friend."

"Man friend?" Kate asked. "Lots of nerve coming from you, Mr. Shotgun Wedding."

"It's not a shotgun wedding."

"When are you getting married?" Kate asked in return.

"… Next month."

Kate held out her hands. "Voila. A shotgun wedding."

"I'm not pregnant," Edith said softly.

Kate held up her hands, and then nodded at Gibbs. "This is Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and his daughter Kelly. They're here for the summer."

"Never thought you were the type to take up with tourists," Daniel said with a grin.

She punched him in the shoulder. "We're not together, Dan."

"Coulda fooled me," Kelly muttered, and Kate turned to glare at her. Kelly winked at her, and Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"Don't take it personally, Katie," Kate noticed how Dan smirked at the nickname. "The kid tries to set me up with every single woman."

"Is that how you ended up with Diane?" Kate asked.

He winced. "Thanks for _that_ reminder."

"So how'd you meet?" Kate asked, changing the subject as she turned back to Dan.

Dan looked at Edith, who rolled her eyes and smiled back, taking his hand. "We ran into each other."

"Literally."

"And then he proceeded to take me out for drinks as an apology… and it went from there."

"I know she was the one from the beginning," Dan said, smiling at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Shut it, Daniel. You only love me because I didn't run away laughing at your middle name."

"That's true," he agreed.

"What's your middle name?" Gibbs asked, looking between them.

Dan grinned, and squeezed his fiancée's hand. "Well, Mr. Gibbs-,"

"Agent Gibbs," Kate corrected softly.

Gibbs and Dan both looked at her, surprised, before Dan continued. "Agent Gibbs, my full name if you really want to know, is Daniel Hawkeye Todd."

"Wait, your middle name is Hawkeye…" Gibbs started.

Kate chimed in, not really thinking about how it would look if she was finishing his sentences. "And her last name is Pierce?"

"Pretty amazing coincidence, huh?" Dan asked.

"I can't believe your middle name is _Hawkeye,_ " Gibbs said, shaking his head.

"Your first name is Leroy and your middle name is Jethro," Dan said, with a grin. "What's your point?"

"Our dad was a huge _M*A*S*H_ fan," Kate said, by way of explanation.

"So is your middle name Hot Lips then?" he asked.

Kate blushed, but Daniel started laughing. "I like you, Gibbs."

"Caitlin Hot Lips Todd…. Gotta nice ring to it, don't ya think?" Gibbs asked her.

She shook her head but she was laughing too. "You're hilarious, Gibbs."

"Oh I try. Although I think I prefer Katie. What _is_ your middle name?"

"Gibbs," she said. "You know my middle name."

"Oh yeah. Daisy, right?"

She opened her mouth to argue, only to see his eyes twinkling, and she rolled her eyes. "Such a comedian."

"Alas, I admit it." He grinned at it, before they both noticed that the others had gone silent. He stood up. "I think we've overstayed our welcome. We'll let you catch up."

Kate followed him and Kelly to the door. Kelly walked out ahead, not even checking to see if her father was following, so intent was she on eating her cake. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to chase you off."

"It's okay, Katie." He ran a hand through his hair, and smiled down at her. "We weren't actually invited anyway, right?"

"I…" She sighed, looking down at her shoes, noticing how scuffed they were. Anything was easier than this.

"Have you been avoidin' me, Katie?" he asked, softly.

"No." She looked up, only to be met with his piercing blue eyes. He raised an eyebrow. "Maybe."

"Why? Did I do somethin' wrong?" he asked, the odd mixture of hurt and embarrassment in his voice disconcerting, as he was usually so confident.

"No, Gibbs, it's nothing to do with you. I swear. It's just… things have been a little… awkward."

"Oh." His face changed. "I shouldn't have tried to kiss you, Kate. And I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. It won't happen again. We can be friends though right?"

She pretended to consider it, as he watched her.

"Please?" he asked, and it was oddly endearing to see the face that he made as he grinned at her.

"Of course, Gibbs. That sounds good to me."

"Good." He walked off, "See you around, Orchard girl."

"Bye Agent Domestic Dad," she said, and he grinned at her as he walked away, and she chuckled to herself, shaking her head as she recognized the tune he was whistling- the _M*A*S*H_ theme.

And then she leaned against the door frame, wrapping her arms around herself. "Dammit Gibbs, I don't want you to be sorry for nearly kissing me. Because I wanted it to."

But the words came too late, and now here she was- friends with him again, and forced to keep him at arm's length. That way, no one would get hurt.

She walked back inside, squaring her shoulders for what was to come.

 **XNCISX**

The dinner table was silent except for the sound of chewing, and it was unnerving to Kate. She didn't know why Dan was back, or what he wanted.

He opened his mouth to say something, as Edie asked a question. "So, Kate, Dan tells that you run a flower shop?"

"Yeah, it was our grandmother's."

"It's very nice that you took it over for her."

"Yeah," Kate fixed Dan with a look. _It wasn't a choice._ He had the good grace not to meet her eyes out of shame.

"Do you like it?"

"Sure." She so badly didn't want bloodshed at the dinner table, but it was so hard to not stare at Dan, and blame him for everything. He'd abandoned her when she'd needed his support most. "I'm sure England was more fun though."

"What do you mean?" Edie asked.

"Dan could have stayed and been tied down to the flower shop, but he went to England for work. And it all seems to have turned out for the best, since that's where he met you," Kate pointed out.

Dan, whose hands had been tightly clenching the silverware, relaxed. He took a deep breath, and looked up at her with a smile. It was forced. "Uh, Kate… about the shop…"

She tensed. "What about it?"

He seemed to change his mind about what he was going to say. "We decided that we want the flower shop to do the arrangements for the wedding. And we heard you're painting again, so we were wondering if you'd do the invitations."

"And when are you getting married again?"

"Next month."

"You want me to do all the flower arrangements and invitations and have them ready in less than a _month_?" Kate asked, shocked. "You can't be serious. I'd have to work nonstop."

"I've always said you worked nonstop. Look Kate, it's fine, you don't have to-,"

"No." She shook her head. "I'll do it, it's fine." She turned to Edie. "What kind of flowers do you like?"

"I'm rather partial to sunflowers," Edie admitted.

"Good. Do you want them in your bouquet?"

"Sure."

"Okay, that's part of my job done right there."

"And if you need more information, don't worry," Dan said with a grin. "We'll be right down in the hall."

"In separate rooms, I hope."

"Wow, when did you turn into such an old lady Kate? I think that flower shop has aged you prematurely." He was kidding but she saw the worry in his eyes, and figured that he knew about her mental health, and its uncertain stability.

She just kept eating, silently. She didn't have a response, and she wanted quite suddenly to escape her own house. And then she stood up. "Excuse me, I think I'm going to take a walk."

 **XNCISX**

He was working on the boat, the rain pounding on the roof a comfort, the bourbon in his coffee mug an added bonus. He didn't think it would be finished by the end of the summer season, but when he worked, at least his mind was clear.

And then above the sound of pouring rain, he heard the sound of someone knocking on the door to the boat shed. Setting down his hand tools, he walked over, only to find Kate standing there, looking uncharacteristically upset.

"Katie?" he asked.

"You were right about the rain," she said.

"C'mon in, you're gonna catch a cold." He shut the door of the boat shed, just as thunder started rumbling overhead. "I see ya brought the storm with you."

"Sorry." She shivered.

"Katie, what the hell are you doin' outside in weather like this? It's a hell of a storm out there."

She chuckled, though she was dripping on the concrete, and the lights flickered above. "I'm sorry, Gibbs, I didn't know where else to go. I had to get out of the house."

"What's goin' on?" he asked, holding out the mug of bourbon. He was a man of few words, and wasn't exactly good at providing comfort, but if there was one thing he could do, it was offer a drink, and a shoulder to cry on.

She took it, and sipped it, wincing as she did so. "Is this bourbon or paint thinner?"

He chuckled, but touched her hand. "What's up, Katie? It's not like ya to show up in the middle of a storm late at night."

"I feel stuck." It was a whispered admission, and he looked over at her, seeing the water dripping from the hem of her shirt, her hair sticking to her face. And then she was crying, as he was hurrying to find a blanket.

"Stuck?" he asked, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, and sitting next to her, his arm still around her shoulder.

She wiped at her eyes. "You'll probably think I'm being ridiculous."

"Never," he replied, softly.

She looked at him, tears tracking down her face. "My brother is getting married. Meredith and Drew are having a baby. You get to move on at the end of the summer, but not me. I'm stuck here, Gibbs, in a job I didn't ask for, and stuck with expectations and debts, and I'm just so _stuck._ "

She was still crying, as he brushed the wet hair away from her face. "You don't like working in the flower shop?"

"It's an obligation. I couldn't… it wouldn't have been right. I just… I'm helpless."

"That is the last word I would use to describe you."

She snorted, shaking her head. "Maybe you fixed the damn truck, but you can't fix me, Gibbs. God, it sounds like a bad country song."

"I'm not tryin' to fix you, Katie. You don't need fixing."

"Tell that to my brother." She wiped at her eyes again. "I shouldn't even be here, bothering you."

"It sounds like if you didn't come, then I'd be scraping bits of your head off the ceiling tomorrow morning."

She giggled through her tears. "I _did_ feel like my head was going to explode."

"You know what I do when it feels like my head will explode?"

"What?" she asked.

"I work on the boat."

"I don't see any power tools in here," Kate said, standing up. Her clothing was skintight, clinging to her thanks to the effect of the rainwater, and he was riveted, watching her, as the blanket fell away.

"I told you… I use my hands." The words spilled out before he could stop them.

She turned, and saw that he was checking her out. Their eyes met for a moment, and the air between them was charged with something neither would admit to. He opened his mouth to say something, just as the shed went black.

"What happened?" she asked, in the darkness.

"Storm must've knocked out the power. I've got candles, hang on." He reached into the drawer of the workbench, and managed to find a few candles, lighting them, trying to ignore the lingering tension in the air. The flickering light cast an odd glower on Kate's face, making her look as though she was from another world.

"I'm sorry to disturb your evening, Gibbs," she said with a smile.

"Don't you dare be sorry. Now c'mon, you're gonna help me with the boat." He held out a hand. "You trust me, right?"

"Of course." It was quiet, but sincere, as she stepped over, and he handed her the sander. "Here, you see, you move with the grain of the wood." He moved behind her, so that her back was pressed to his front, and he was trying to ignore how soft she was against him. "I'll show you."

He helped her sand for a few minutes, and he felt her shivering against him, and he wished that he could embrace her, give her some of the heat coursing through him in order to warm her up. But that would definitely cross the _we're just friends_ line into territory that wasn't recommended, if not entirely forbidden.

And then she turned to look at him, and said softly. "You're right. Very soothing."

Thunder crashed above them, and he wanted so badly to kiss her in the candlelight, to press her against the boat, and he could see from the blush in her cheeks that she wasn't above such desires. He cupped her cheek in his hand, and her eyes closed reflexively. For one terrible second, he nearly leaned in to press his lips to hers…

And then her eyes snapped open, and she stepped away, nearly tripping over the boat. "I'm sorry, Gibbs, I really shouldn't- I…"

He looked up and met her eyes, seeing that she was blushing and as embarrassed as he felt. "No, Katie, you got nothin' to apologize for."

She paused in the doorway, the lightning flashing behind her, the rain splattering on the concrete floor from where the wind was blowing it in, and turned to him. "Thank you for not offering to rescue me."

"Didn't think you needed rescuing, Katie. Just a friend."

"Just a friend," she agreed, looking him in the eye. And then she fled, leaving him alone, and confused. He lifted the blanket from its place on the workbench, and held it to his nose. It smelled like roses, and he closed his eyes, hit with a sudden wave of sadness.

Instead of reflecting on how much he wanted to be more than friends with Kate, whom he'd started thinking of as _his Katie,_ he went back to work on the boat.

After all, it was a good way to clear one's mind.


	10. Chapter 10

The sun was beating down relentlessly, and the very air seemed to shimmer with heat. Kate's face was flushed, her clothing sticking to her with sweat, but it was her day off, and she couldn't think of anything else she'd rather be doing. She'd had to get away from the shop, because Dan was sniffing around, looking at the accounts, while his bride-to-be was gushing over what "a quaint little flower shop" it was. It had taken her most of the morning to come up with a good excuse, but she'd finally escaped.

She was painting, trying to ignore the feeling of sweat trickling down her back. She was having trouble getting the exact shade of blue she needed, so she was cursing good-naturedly to herself, not noticing if anyone else was around. And if they were, they were probably going to spread the gossip around that not only was Kate a bitter orphan, but a foul-mouthed one too.

The grapevine of gossip had exploded after her paint fight with Gibbs, but she'd been doing a great job in public of pretending that she didn't care about any of it. And if the whispered rumors affected Gibbs, he was doing a pretty damn fine job of keeping it to himself. Or he was just a naturally silent, stoic man. They'd settled back into an easy friendship following their paint fight, but the tongues wagged merrily about what they really were to each other. _And what_ was _that anyway?_

She'd finally gotten the shade of blue right, and had just dipped her paintbrush into the paint when something very cold and very wet crashed into her back. She shrieked, and turned around, ready to murder whoever had attacked her, and wishing very much that paintbrushes were more effective weapons. And then she realized that her attacker had hit her with a water balloon.

Kelly was standing there, grinning innocently. "Hiya Kate."

"You better pray that wasn't you-," She was cut off by another water balloon to the face.

"Nice shot dad!" Kelly cried.

Kate wiped her face with the hem of her shirt, ignoring the interested look Gibbs was giving her from behind the tree. "What is the meaning of this, Mr.- Brrr." She shivered.

"It's hot out today, Katie. Supposed to be record-breakin' temperatures. Accordin' to the weather man."

"Only fools believe the weather man," she retorted.

"Too hot to be out and about, much less standin' in the full sun."

She shot him an icy glare. "So?"

"You're gonna get heatstroke."

"So you decided, what, you were going to throw water balloons at me?"

"Need to hydrate, Katie." He grinned at her, and leaned against the tree. "And cool down."

"You're lucky I don't turn the hose on both of you."

"I hate to do this, Katie, but you leave me no choice… Go on Kelly!"

And then Kelly, who had been standing around entirely too innocently for Kate's liking, pulled a water gun from behind her back, squirting Kate with it.

"Hey!" Kate yelped. "No fair, leaving a poor girl without weapons!"

Another water balloon crashing into her was the only response she got. She shook her head, getting the worst of the water off her head, and she could hear Gibbs laughing from his vantage point behind the tree. "Don't ya know, Katie, weaponless isn't harmless?"

Kate got an idea, then, on how to protect herself, while also battling the feeling of déjà vu, as she remembered the paint fight once again. She'd held her own then, she just had to… get creative. She darted over to the side of the house, abandoning her painting to the mercies of Gibbs and Kelly, only hearing the two of them hooting with laughter behind her.

"All I wanted was _one afternoon of peace_ ," she mumbled, unravelling the hose. "That's it! Too much to ask for?"

"Yes!" Gibbs called from behind the tree.

"I wasn't asking you!" she yelled back, and finally got the hose ready, twisting the nozzle, and spraying Kelly with the hose.

She screamed and fled, clearly hoping for some kind of protection from her father. In the process, she dropped her water gun.

Gibbs ran for Kate, not caring that she was soaking him with the hose, and she dropped it, dodging him as he got to her, and running for Kelly's water gun. She yelped as she was tackled from behind, and knocked to the ground.

"Jesus, Gibbs," she groaned, unable to roll over.

"Surrender yet?" he asked, his voice breathless with laughter.

"Never," she said, managing to roll over and squirt him in the face with the water gun.

"Ah! Dammit!" he cried, rolling off of her. She stood, and pointed the water gun at his chest.

"You'd shoot a harmless old man?" he asked, holding up his hands in surrender.

"Weaponless is not harmless," she parroted back at him, and he grinned.

"Good girl."

And then she pulled the trigger, which hardly mattered, considering that by this point they were both soaking wet. He stood up, shaking his head from side to side, spraying the grass with drops of water- even if his hair was short, it was still dripping when it was wet. He started walking towards her, grinning. "Shouldn't 'a done that, Katie."

"Oh?" she asked, her heart skipping a beat as he smirked down at her. "And why is that?"

"Girls who play with fire… get burned."

"How cliché. I expected better," she scolded, and he rolled his eyes. But he was still advancing on her, and as he got close enough, he wrenched the water gun from her hands, tossing it to the side, and for a second, she swore he was going to lean down and kiss her- the spark of mischief was in his eyes, and she was smiling up at him. She held her breath in expectation.

"Were ya expectin' Shakespeare?"

"No."

He grinned. "Good." And then she saw that his smirk really was one of mischief and knew she was in trouble, so started backing away, only to trip over the hose.

"Whoa!" she yelped, and Gibbs jumped forward, catching her in an awkward dip, like two dancers, frozen as the music stopped. Brown eyes stared into blue, and she caught herself thinking _if there was any time to kiss me, Jethro Gibbs, it would be now!_

Instead he smiled. "Glad I caught ya," he said, helping her stand. She pushed his hands away. "What's the matter, Katie, don't ya trust me?"

"Not as far as I can throw you!"

"Well with your bad knee, you shouldn't be throwing anyone!" Kelly called from behind the tree.

"I can't believe you let your ten-year-old watch _Ferris Bueller_ ," Kate grumbled.

He rolled his eyes, "Oh I see, we're back to insultin' my parentin' skills again. How nice. Thanks."

"What can I say, except you're welcome?" she asked, and his eyes went dark.

"Katie, you're treadin' on thin ice-,"

She snorted, before looking for the water gun. It was all the way underneath the huge, leafy tree in the backyard. "Nice throw."

"Thanks."

She walked over to retrieve the water gun, knowing full well that he was following her. Kelly seemed to have disappeared somewhere into the depths of the backyard, leaving the two of them alone. Which was good, since she was having thoughts about Gibbs that were thoroughly inappropriate when his daughter was around. "Don't get any ideas," she warned, turning around. "I sleep with a gun."

"Really?" he asked, looking surprised at this admission.

"Well… yes. It depends."

"On what?"

"On who I'm sleeping with!" she retorted.

He grinned. "That right?" He stepped closer to her, so that they were close enough to touch, and he gave her a predatory smile, one that made her go weak at the knees. She suddenly understood, seeing that grin, how he'd convinced two women to marry him (despite being an absolute bastard). "Whatcha thinkin' bout, Katie?"

"N-nothing, Gibbs. Nothing at all."

"Sure don't look like nothin'."

Her face betrayed her of course, as she was trying to keep a straight face. She blushed, and was sure she was the exact shade of a tomato. "It's really nothing."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, taking a step closer, looking as if he wanted nothing more than to lean down and kiss her, and she wouldn't have minded at all, and in fact, he looked as though he was starting to lean down-

"Mind your heads!" came a yell from somewhere above, and Kate was suddenly irrationally worried that her mother was back from the dead to meddle in her love life, until the water balloon crashed onto them, soaking them both.

"KELLY ANN GIBBS!" Gibbs yelled, looking around for his daughter, now completely soaking wet. Kate bit her lip, unable to stop herself from admiring him as he hunted for his daughter. She'd known he was a former Marine and current federal agent with a deliciously solid body, but it was accentuated by the wet, skintight clothing that he was packing heat (the kind that had nothing to do with firearms). She grinned at what she saw, before realizing she was staring, and lowered her eyes.

She could hear Kelly cackling from up in the tree, and, instincts honed, jumped to the side, narrowly dodging another water balloon. "Gibbs!" she cried. "I'm taking fire!"

She grabbed the water gun and starting shooting into the leaves, but it wasn't doing much good, since she was essentially shooting into the air, only to get the bulk of the effects herself. She hated to admit it, but she felt as if she'd been perfectly cooled off. _Maybe it wasn't such a terrible idea for them to show up after all?_

And suddenly, a hand was on her wrist. She shrieked, spinning around, only to find that it was Gibbs. He held a finger to his lips, and pointed at the tree. "Do ya trust me?" he asked softly.

"What?" she asked, flabbergasted.

"Do ya trust me?" he urged.

"Yes," she said, deciding in that moment to go along with whatever crazy schemed Gibbs had concocted. He tugged her into the bushes, and for a few seconds, she was preoccupied with avoiding getting leaves in her mouth, and stopping branches from whipping her in the face, and then they were in a part of the garden that was overgrown and forgotten about. "Whoa," she mumbled, looking around, feeling the sunlight on her face. The trees were overgrown, the wildflowers blooming all around, but the sun had found its way through.

"Isn't it nice?" he asked, grinning.

She looked around, at the roses blooming around her, the strong scent of them making her light-headed in the process. "It's like the secret garden in here…" she said, in awe at her surroundings. She collapsed on the grass, and Gibbs sat down next to her. It seemed as though he wanted to say something, but was hesitating. "Your daughter is evil," she informed him.

"Thanks, and who do ya think she gets it from?"

"You, probably." She grinned up at him, and he smiled back.

"I don't see why I should complain, Katie. It means we're alone."

"Oh…" she blushed, suddenly feeling warmer again. "You mean you planned this?"

"Ya mean did I ask her to throw water balloons at us in order to drag you away and seduce you? No. But it worked out nicely I think."

"For seducing me?"

"Katie, I…" He sighed. "Look. I don't… I _can't_ do the _just friends_ deal, okay? I'm an all or nothin' kinda guy."

She looked up at him, frozen in place. He turned to look at her, and smiled. She squeaked out a "Gibbs...?"

He smiled down at her, running a thumb down her cheekbone, and tucking a strand of hair that was plastered to her face behind her ear. "You have paint on your face, Katie. Almost blends in with the freckles."

"And how would you know?"

"Because I love your freckles. Like 'em almost as much as I like you. I'm not a grand declarations kinda guy…"

"And I'm not asking for grand declarations, Gibbs. I know better." _I know that this is just a summer fling, but if you don't kiss me, Gibbs…_

His eyes lit up. "Katie, I gotta… Can I kiss you?"

She smiled up at him. "Please do."

He leaned in, torturously slow, and her eyes slid shut, only for them to bump noses. Her eyes flew open, only to find him grinning. "Sorry."

She giggled, watching him, and she was sure they were both embarrassed.

"There's a rule against that," she mumbled, as he leaned back in, cupping her hands in her face. Their lips met, tentatively, as if both were waiting for further permission. And then her mouth opened to him, as he kissed her thoroughly, the way a woman ought to be kissed by a lover. In turn, she threw her arms around his neck, and pulled him down onto her, so that the sturdy marine was on top of her, kissing her in a way that would have made her go weak at the knees were she standing. Finally, they pulled away, breathless.

"Wow," she managed.

"That's what they all tell me."

She smacked him. "Seriously?"

"Nah…" He grinned as he moved off of her. "Wow yourself, Katie. Where'd you learn to kiss like that?"

"A lady never tells… Jethro," she teased.

Kate heard a quiet giggle from inside the bushes. Gibbs and Kate met each other's eyes, and she saw that his eyes were sparkling, the gorgeous blue of the lake on a sunny day, and they were both grinning like fools in love. Unless the bushes had suddenly learned to laugh…

"All right, Kelly, you can come out now," Gibbs said with a sigh.

Looking only slightly guilty, Kelly walked out of the bushes, no longer clutching any water weapons. "Hi dad," she said sheepishly. And then grinned at the two of them. "Thank _God_!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Gibbs demanded of his daughter.

She crossed her arms, and fixed him with a look that she must've learned from him. "You two have been flirting since you met! I wasn't fooled. Even Mer said you two were dancing around each other."

"So Katie," Gibbs turned to her. "From that kiss, I'd say _just friends_ wasn't cuttin' it for you either."

"Well to quote what is apparently Kelly's favorite movie," Kate said with an eye roll, "life moves pretty fast. So I figured I'd slow down and enjoy it for once."

He ran a hand over the back of his neck. "Look, Katie, I dunno what this is, or what we are, but I do know that-,"

"Gibbs, we can figure it all out later."

"Kiss her again dad!"

He turned to glare at her. "Honey, much as I appreciate the encouragement, makin' out with Kate is not a spectator sport."

"How about you go and pick up all the balloon shreds you left on the lawn?" Kate asked.

Kelly trudged off, looking so downtrodden that Kate had to laugh. "Don't feel bad for her, Katie," Gibbs said with a smirk.

"Oh I don't. Now whaddaya say you follow your daughter's advice?"

"Is that a nice way 'a askin' for another kiss?"

"Well considering the first one was so good… I wouldn't mind an encore performance."

And Gibbs didn't look as if he minded, leaning down to capture her lips with his once again.

 **XNCISX**

It was later, once they had used most of the towels in the house to dry off, and then got into another joking fight which culminated in the three of them wrestling on the floor, laughing, and the Gibbs family had left. Kate was alone with her brother and his fiancée, trying to hide the warmth currently coursing through her, their chatter flowing over her while she was preoccupied with her thoughts.

 _God, he's a bastard but a_ really _fantastic kisser._

"Kate?"

She looked up, only to see Dan staring at her, eyebrows raised. She realized he must have been calling her name for at least the last ten seconds while she'd sat there, daydreaming about Gibbs, and a certain indecent fantasy that involved Gibbs, his boat shed and complete privacy. "Sorry, what?"

"Kate, I don't know what happened to my level-headed little sister, but I'd much prefer her to the space cadet you've become," he said, but he was smiling to show that he was kidding.

"What is it, Dan? Have you decided that I'll be sewing the wedding dress along with doing the invitations _and_ the flowers?"

"No," he said, rolling his eyes. "I was going to tell you, that you need a date to the wedding."

She dropped her fork on the floor, and dove beneath the table to retrieve it, outwardly cursing, but inwardly, the spark was growing into a real fire. Grabbing her fork off the floor, she sat back down, as Dan and Edie exchanged a look. "Is there a reason I need a date?" she asked.

"Not really. I just figured it might be nice…"

She rolled her eyes. "Did you get that matchmaking gene from mom?"

He held a hand to his chest. "I'm hurt by the accusation that I am _anything_ like our mother!" He pointed his fork at her. "Take it back!"

She pointed a butter knife back at him, her eyebrows going up. "Take what back?"

"Children, please." Edie sighed, looking between the two of them. "It's considerably immature to get into a duel at the dinner table. Look, we're not requiring you to have a date, but… wouldn't it be nice?"

"C'mon Kate, there's gotta be _someone_ in this town you'd want as a date! Can't you think of _one person_?" he asked, feigning irritation.

"No." _Yes._ In her mind, she could vividly see Gibbs' cheerful smile, his eyes crinkling at the corner the way they did when he was smiling at her, his blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

"Then I suggest you find someone," Dan suggested. "We all need a dance partner, don't we?"

"I suppose," she mumbled. "Don't worry, Dan, I'll find a date."

He grinned, a lop-sided grin that made him look like their grandfather. It made her smile, to see the resemblance between her goofy brother and the man that had raised them. "Oh, I bet you will, Katie. I'm sure the men will be lining up to be your date."

"You're delusional, Dan."

"Maybe so, but at least I look pretty." He fluttered his eyelashes at her, and she rolled her eyes in response.

"Well, I can think of at least one man," Edie said, into her wine glass. She winked at Kate, and Dan rolled his eyes.

 _I can think of one man too,_ Kate thought to herself. The only man in town she could see herself sharing a dance with. _Gibbs._

It wasn't quite a line of men, but he was the only man she wanted.


	11. Chapter 11

It was a typical afternoon in Indiana, and for once, Kate didn't mind the stillness of an Indiana summer day, because she wasn't outside in the heat, but inside, with a cool fan blowing on her face. The air currents disturbed the stillness of the shop, rustling the leaves of the plants, and ruffling Gibbs' hair in a way that made her want to run her hands through it. In between bursts of static, the beat-up radio was occasionally spitting out show tunes that Gibbs would hum along to while dipping his paintbrush in the pot of paint in the center of the table.

"I still dunno why ya roped me into helpin' with this insanity," he commented, turning and watching her working intently on the flowers, brow furrowed, biting her lip deep in concentration. "I thought you had it under control."

"Gibbs," she replied, knowing without even having to look at him that he was watching her. She did not find his gaze unnerving but rather endearing. "I may be good, but I'm not Wonder Woman. I can't do everything."

"I dunno Kate, I'm havin' a good time picturin' you as Wonder Woman." He chuckled to himself as she shot a dirty look his way.

"You have a filthy mind, Jethro Gibbs."

"And you have a filthy mouth, but ya never seem to have a problem sharin' it with me," he retorted with a grin.

She rolled her eyes, before glaring at the flower arrangement. "Gibbs, you said you could paint. I kept the design simple, but since you were bragging about your skills-,"

"Gibbs men do not _brag_ ," he informed her.

"Sure sounded like bragging the other day-,"

"Don't make me come in there!" Kelly yelled. She was sitting under the awning in front of the store, sprawled out on the bench, reading. She couldn't have been comfortable but she was there all the same, apparently still eavesdropping on her father's conversations.

"Don't you dare!" Gibbs called back, before resuming his work with the invitations.

"So what was that about you not bragging?"

"I was simply offerin' help. I didn't know that…" he looked helplessly over the materials of the invitations.

"Be grateful that this is a small wedding," she replied.

"This is a _small_ wedding?" he asked, thunderstruck.

"Gibbs, you do know what a wedding looks like, right?"

"Should," he mumbled. "Had three of 'em after all."

"That's what I thought."

"Don't be so smug, Katie. Doesn't suit you."

"And what does suit me, Gibbs?" she asked, looking up at the same time he did. Their eyes met, and a slow smile spread across his face, his blue eyes lit up at her question.

"Bein' happy suits you."

"I'm happy around you," she said, reaching across the table and squeezing his hand.

"Cute, but I still haven't forgiven ya for ropin' me into this."

"You volunteered."

"I sure did. Anythin' to help out a lady." His teasing tone indicated that she was anything but a lady, and it made her smile, however reluctantly.

"If you have such low opinions of me, then why are you still here?"

He half-shrugged and grinned at her. "Kelly likes you."

"Kelly is ten and likes pretty much anyone."

"She didn't really like either of her stepmothers, so I'd say that her opinion of you is pretty high."

She froze in place, wondering why he was comparing her, a woman he'd kissed once, to two different women he'd married for the wrong reasons. And then wondered further if she should take it as an insult or a compliment. "Thanks… I think."

"Katie," his voice was softer then, and she looked up, locking eyes with him once again. They stared at each other for a second, before she turned away, a blush warming her cool cheeks.

"What were we talking about?" she asked, trying to fill the silence.

"I believe you were about to thank me."

"Thank you?" she asked.

"You're welcome!" He grinned, and she rolled her eyes.

"So quick-witted."

"Alas, I admit it."

"Fine, okay, thank you Leroy Jethro Gibbs for being so helpful even though I probably could've done this by myself."

"I had no doubts… Wonder Woman." He stood up, grabbing a sunflower from one of the displays and handing it to her. "Here. For you, Miss Todd."

"You'll have to pay for that, you know!" she retorted, grinning as she took the sunflower. It was beautiful, and it reminded her not only of her grandmother but of the chivalry Gibbs hid beneath his rough exterior.

"It's okay," he said, leaning down and kissing her on the cheek. "I know the owner."

"The owner is about to smack you with a broomstick if you don't stop stealing her flowers."

"I'm hurt, Katie."

"Not as hurt as you'll be when I get my broomstick out."

He shook his head, chuckling. She set the sunflower down on the table, as a reminder to take it home later and put it in a vase. He flopped back into his seat, and continued painting for a few minutes. "Katie?"

"Yeah?" she asked, not looking up.

"If you could go anywhere in the world… where would ya go?"

"Who knows?" she responded softly. "I'd like to see Scotland someday."

"Oh?"

"It's where my grandmother was born, in Peterhead," she said, in a rush. "I want to see where she was born, and the lands of Clan Davidson."

"Your clan?" he asked, interested.

"Yeah. Well, hers. Mine by blood… I suppose."

"And I'm guessin' the tartan aprons… Davidson tartan?"

"Oh yes. And the motto we print on the paper we wrap our flowers in."

"Latin?"

"Wisely if sincerely. It's the clan motto."

He grinned at her. "I like that. Wisely if sincerely. Anywhere else?"

"I've always dreamed of Paris…" she said, leaning her chin on her hand. "It just sounds so lovely."

"That's a little cliché, isn't it?"

She rolled her eyes. "The culture, the artwork…"

"The food!" Kelly chimed in from outside, and Kate and Gibbs both started laughing.

"The food," Kate agreed.

"Trust me Katie, the food in France is _highly_ overrated."

"You talk like you've been there," she said, surprised.

He ran a hand over the back of his neck. "I did some work in Europe."

"Really? You never struck me as a man of culture," she teased.

He snorted. "'M not. But…"

"The agency says jump, you say how high? I know how it is," she said, sympathizing. "What about Kelly?"

"Stayed with my father," he replied, shaking his head. "You really wanna go to Paris?"

"Yeah. I'd love to see the Louvre, and-,"

"Art. I shoulda figured."

"I'm probably never going to get to Paris," she said thoughtfully.

"Never say never," he said. "So… a wedding, huh?"

"Yeah." She was grateful for the change in subject. "And my brother has been pestering me-,"

"About?"

"Finding someone to dance with at his wedding. It's silly," she explained at a look from him. "I don't dance. Not really anyway."

"Why not?"

She looked up at him, and smiled wistfully. "Guess I just never had the right partner."

Gibbs was silent for a moment, the radio the only sound in the flower shop. So focused was she on arranging the flowers, and tweaking the design, she didn't even notice that Gibbs had stood.

And then she looked up, only to find he was standing in front of her, head tilted slightly, watching her, eyes narrowed slightly. He was holding out a hand. "May I have this dance?" he asked, his voice teasing. And yet she knew he was serious.

"You want to dance… here?"

"I thought I would offer the lady a dance… see if I'm the right partner."

"Gibbs, I…" she sighed. "I'm pretty sure that this counts as slacking off."

"And if I told ya I don't care?"

"I suppose then that it would be allowed."

He did a mock bow; a Rex Harrison bow straight out of _My Fair Lady._ "Would you care to dance?"

"It would be my honor, sir," she replied with a smile. She stood, taking his hand, and they spent a few minutes waltzing around the store, a slow, steady dance, and Kate managed not to trip over her feet. "Didn't know you could waltz."

"Didn't ya know? I'm full of surprises."

"I thought as much."

There was a ghost of a laugh in his voice, quickly smothered by embarrassment, as the radio crackled with the music. "Listen, Katie."

" _La vie en rose,_ " she said softly. "A very fitting song. Seeing the world through rose-colored glasses."

"Sounds like somethin' an optimist would say. It's not Paris, but…" Gibbs trailed off, oddly flustered. They stopped, the music still playing. And then he pulled her in closer, the two of them swaying, to their own song that wasn't coming from the radio.

He leaned his forehead against hers, and she smiled up at him. "Thank you, Gibbs."

He looked down at her, blue eyes into brown, and she was stunned at the emotions in his eyes, which he made no effort to hide. " _Tu es mon coeur."_

She stared up at him, at the whispered words. "What?" she asked.

" _Belle,"_ he said, with a smile. "Katie, _c'est toi que j'aime, ma cherie."_

She blinked, not understanding the words, but comprehending the meaning behind them. "Gibbs," she breathed, as they continued swaying, foreheads pressed together.

" _Ahem_." Kate and Gibbs immediately broke apart, looking guilty, as Dan stared between them, grinning. He raised an eyebrow.

"Dan… hi," she managed, sure that she was the color of the roses blooming around them. She fiddled with her hands, unable to look Gibbs in the eye.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

"Of course not," Kate protested. "Gibbs was just helping me out with the invitations, and keeping me company."

The two of them sat back down at the table, as Dan stood over them. Gibbs' foot nudged her under the table, and she glared at him, responding with a sharp kick to the ankle. After a few minutes, Gibbs nudged her again with his foot, a playful gesture that didn't go unnoticed.

"Well..." Dan said, grinning. "Looks like you found a partner to dance with at my wedding after all."

"Don't be presumptuous," she retorted. "You know what they say about assuming."

"Makes an ass out of you and me." Dan stuck his hands in his pockets. "Those invitations look great, Gibbs."

"Thanks, Dan. How's it goin' with the wedding planning?" Gibbs asked, his foot still pressed up against Kate's.

Dan smiled. "Not bad. Edie is starting to go into panic mode."

"That's how it usually works," Gibbs agreed. "I'm sure that things are fine."

"Oh for sure. It's just… all very fast."

"If there's anythin' ya need, just let me know."

"Will do. I should leave the two of you to your work. It all looks good so far, I'll admit."

"You doubted us?" Kate asked, pretending to be hurt.

He grinned. "Keep him in line, Kate. I don't know if I can trust him to do what he said he'd do."

"With the exception of finding a decent barber, Gibbs can do pretty much anything he says he can."

"What's wrong with my hair?" Gibbs asked.

Dan started laughing as he left, the bell over the door ringing as he went. She could hear him whistling innocently as he walked away. As soon as he was gone, she started laughing. "Gibbs!"

"What's wrong, Katie?" Gibbs asked, innocently.

"You, playing footsy with me while I was trying to have a serious conversation with my brother!"

He grinned. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"You're such a child sometimes!"

"You don't seem to mind." As she took a sip of her tea, Gibbs spoke again. "So what's this about a dance partner for Dan's wedding?"

She choked on her tea, and Kelly, who'd returned, helpfully thumped her on the back a few times. She came up for air, dripping tea, and managed to wheeze out a single word. " _What_?"

"Your brother," Gibbs continued, undeterred by the fact that Kate had just practically choked to death in front of him. He had remarkable composure and a fantastic poker face, but then he grinned. "A dance partner?"

"I don't need a dance partner, he's just ragging on me for not having a date."

"Oh?" he asked. Was she mistaken or did he sound almost hopeful?

"Yeah." She felt it was time for the good old-fashioned Todd Subject Change. "What were you saying to me when we were dancing?"

"What?"

"In French."

"Oh." He ran a hand through his hair, and he really did look embarrassed. She felt an odd thrill at reducing the steely federal agent to a flustered schoolboy. "Does it matter?"

"To me it does."

"Then maybe you should buy a French dictionary."

She rolled her eyes. "Hilarious."

"Kate," he said, and he hesitated. "Katie, will you come over for dinner?"

She looked up, and smiled at him. "Sure."

He smiled back, sheepishly, before picking up the sunflower he'd given her, reaching across the table and tucking it behind her ear. "Beautiful," he said with a grin.

"What time should I come?"

"Six."

And suddenly, Dan was sticking his head back around the door, ignoring the flower tucked into Kate's hair. "I need your help."

"I am _not_ making Edie's wedding dress!" Kate said firmly.

 **XNCISX**

"I gotta admit, this was not what I had in mind." Gibbs said, leaning against the railing of his rental home. Kate was leaning against the railing beside him, still giggling to herself.

"What? Feeding not only me, but Dan and Edie?"

"I suggest putting a padlock on the oven," Dan suggested from behind them.

"It wasn't even a big fire!" Edie protested. "How on earth was I supposed to know that the entire fire department would show up?"

"Okay, so she's not a domestic housewife. I don't mind, sweetheart."

"Good, because if you mind, you will be sleeping on the couch," she informed him.

He grinned. "Fair enough."

Gibbs turned to her. "Want to assist me in the kitchen, Kate?"

"I'd love to, Gibbs. And these two will cause a lot less trouble if they're out here."

"Kelly!" Gibbs yelled.

Kelly stuck her head around the corner of the porch, from where she was sitting on the porch swing, no doubt curled up with a book. "You bellowed?" she asked.

"She gets more sarcastic every day," Gibbs muttered.

"Probably gets it from you," Kate retorted, and he rolled his eyes, before turning back to his daughter.

"Can you keep an eye on Dan and Edie while Kate and I go make dinner?"

"Should I let the two of you be alone? What about parental supervision?"

"Kelly, it's just makin' dinner. Get your mind out of the gutter."

Kelly snorted. "Not likely, dad."

"Fine, but your mind is so far in the gutter, it might as well start payin' rent."

"It's a freeloader, just like me," Kelly said, grinning.

Kate winked at her as she followed Gibbs inside. "At least you're cute, so you can get away with it."

Gibbs snorted. "It must be her good genetics."

"You hope."

"If I'm half as charmin' as she is, I'll take it, Katie," he said, stepping closer to her, before leaning down and pulling her into a kiss.

After a moment, she pulled away. "I don't know about charming, but you are a damn fine kisser."

"I pride myself on that."

"Dad-," Kelly ran in, and stopped when she saw the two of them.

Gibbs pulled away, and a smile tugging at his lips as he looked at Kate, he didn't break eye contact. "Kelly, go set the table."

"Sure, dad. What are we having?"

"You'll find out. Go on."

"Sure," Kelly agreed, grabbing plates and utensils. "And turns out I was right about parental supervision."

He glared in her direction. "Go!"

"I'm going, I'm going, geez." She walked out, leaving Kate shaking with suppressed laughter. Gibbs still looked annoyed but when he saw that Kate was laughing, his annoyance melted away with a chuckle.

"Girl with an inquiring mind, that one." Kate said, shaking her head.

"Nosy little-,"

"I think it runs in the family," she retorted, remembering how Kelly had so neatly gotten her to discuss her personal life in the flower shop.

"Ah well." He shrugged, digging through the fridge. "If that's how it is, so be it. Now c'mon Katie, I don't intend on lettin' ya slack off in my kitchen!"

"You _dare_ accuse _me_ of slacking? Who was it that pressured me into dancing while I was working this afternoon?"

"You were arrangin' flowers, that's hardly paintin' the Sistine Chapel!" He grinned at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"You're insufferable."

"I've been called worse, Katie, especially by you."

"Right."

He nudged her with his hip. "C'mon let's rustle up somethin' for the masses."

"Well, I haven't seen any loaves and fishes, so barring a miracle-,"

"No miracle required, just some good, old-fashioned cooking," Gibbs pointed out with a grin.

She stood there, eyebrows raised. "We can't just order something in from the diner?"

"No. Katie, you gotta embrace domesticity." He lunged for her, wrapping his arms around her.

"Just because I called you Mr. Domestic Dad doesn't mean I consider you the embodiment of domesticity, Gibbs," she said, and then shrieked, trying to get away as he started tickling her. "Gibbs!"

"Say uncle!" he demanded, his fingers jabbing at her relentlessly as she squirmed in his arms.

"No!" she gasped.

He kept tickling her, chuckling to himself as he did so, and she caught a glimpse of his face, completely alight with joy, before managing to get away. "Do ya surrender?" he asked, before getting a good glimpse at her.

She grinned at him, holding out a spatula like a warrior. "Would I ever surrender?"

"True," he replied, reaching behind his back and coming up with a wooden spoon. The two stood there for a few moments, in a standstill. " _En garde_ ," he said, almost casually.

" _Je suis prest_ ," she replied, equally as calm.

He narrowed his eyes, but it was her that made the first move, striking at him with her spatula. He managed to deflect it with his spoon, and they battled ferociously for a few minutes, their weapons of choice clattering against each other, louder than the rain that was beginning to pour outside. Another summer storm, and the lightning flashed, catching them in silhouette.

He had Kate backed up against the counter, his "sword" pressed to hers. "You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you," he said, grinning.

Her eyes flashed in awareness. "You seem a decent fellow. I hate to die." And then she ducked out from underneath him, leaving him to brace himself against the counter, as he turned, to find her behind him, grinning at him.

Caught in the moment, they fenced for a few minutes more, battling back and forth across the kitchen, thrusting and parrying, both stepping as nimbly as possible, all things considered, but Gibbs thrust his weapon forward, she deflected it, knocking it out of his hand, and held her spatula to his throat. He stared down at her, grinning. "You have me at a distinct disadvantage, madam."

"I do believe you're right." Her lips were twitching as she tried to stop herself from smiling. But after a moment, they both cracked up, laughing. She lowered her weapon, and unable to stop himself, Gibbs leaned down, capturing her surprised lips in his. She relaxed into his embrace, only for them to jump apart, startled, as the thunder crashed outside, and they started laughing again.

" _The Princess Bride_ , huh Katie?" he asked.

"It's my favorite movie," she replied, wistfully. "I take it you've seen it."

He grinned down at her. "Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something."

"Inconceivable!" came a voice from the doorway, and they both turned, still grinning in each other's arms, only to find Kelly standing there, arms crossed. "What?" she asked, "You two think you're the only ones who can quote movies around here?"


	12. Chapter 12

"Gibbs." Kate was standing on the porch, clearly waiting for him to arrive. She was biting her lip, her arms crossed, and he figured that something was amiss.

"What's up, Katie?" he asked, interested. "Hidin' from the family?"

"Oh, you bet I am." There was a wry note of _something_ in her voice, but he couldn't quite detect what it was.

"Thought we made plans for a day out today," he said, eyeing her grubby shorts and paint-stained shirt. "A date."

"Oh, we did. My brother and Edie had other ideas about today's activities."

"Whaddaya mean?" he asked, narrowing his eyes as he leaned against the porch railing. Kelly was leaning against the hood of the car with a book, occasionally eyeing the two of them. Kate didn't mind the shadow – she was rather fond of Kelly (rather fond being one of the biggest understatements of the year) – but as Gibbs had said, the two of them being romantic was not a spectator sport. "Thought we were droppin' Kelly off with Drew and Meredith and goin' out together."

"Gibbs!" Both of them turned to see Dan standing in the doorway, watching them, and beaming. "Good to see you."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. It wasn't as if they never saw each other, after all. Gibbs spent a good amount of time around the house, as did Dan. "Hiya Dan. What's this about a plan ya concocted to keep me and Katie from goin' out today?"

"Is that what she told you?" Dan asked, with a grin. "Nah, nothing like that. We just need a quick favor."

"Right. Just lemme go drop Kelly off with Drew and Mer, and-."

"No need," Dan said, pushing the door open. "They're already here." He walked in, as Kelly, who'd picked up the thread of conversation, walked over to join them.

"Am I missin' something here, Katie?" he asked, smiling up at her.

"Just that Dan and Edie need help with wedding preparations."

He winced, remembering the day of the invitations. It hadn't slipped his mind that the wedding prep was still in full swing. "What kinda wedding preparations?"

Kate giggled, staring at him. "I've never seen you so scared."

"I'm an investigator, we don't get _scared_ ," he informed her.

She rolled her eyes. "Sure. Right. And if you weren't an investigator, your excuse would be that you're a former Marine, and-," she lowered her voice to imitate him. "Marines don't get scared!"

"She's got you there, dad," Kelly said, grinning.

He glared at her. "Did I _ask_ for your opinion?"

"No, but you always give yours when it's not asked for," She retorted.

"Must be a Gibbs thing," Kate said, sympathetically. Gibbs glared at her, feeling firmly like a spoiled little boy and hating himself for it. "Kelly, you'll enjoy helping with this."

"Why?" Kelly asked.

"Because they're doing cake tasting today, and wanted a few extra taste testers," Kate said, with a smile.

" _Cake_?" Kelly's eyes went wide and she ran inside, the door slamming behind her.

Gibbs and Kate rolled their eyes at the same time, noticed the synchrony, and both cracked up at the same time. Gibbs' laughter faded away as he found himself staring at her.

She bit her lip. "Care to come in for some cake?"

"I could never refuse cake from a lady. And even if there aren't any ladies inside…" He ducked as she took a swing at him. "Definitely not a lady."

"And proud of it," she teased, as he followed her inside. They found everyone else seated around the dining table, with cake boxes in the middle.

"Look what the cat dragged in…" Meredith said in her best Georgian drawl. "Or I guess I should say look what the _Kate_ dragged in." Her joke was met with groans and sighs from everyone, and she frowned. "None of you appreciate good humor."

"Is that what it was?" Drew asked, blinking innocently. "I thought it was a way to clear the room- _oof._ " He stopped talking as Meredith neatly jabbed him with a well-placed elbow."

"Gibbs!" Edie looked happy to see him, even if everyone else looked bored. "What a delight! Come, join the party."

"I came for the cake," he said with a smile.

"I thought you came for the Kate."

Dan snorted quite loudly at Meredith's second terrible joke, but Kate was pulling up two more chairs, one on either side of hers, and grabbing two forks from the center of the table. "So you came just to exploit my good nature and pile of cakes."

"Isn't it gettin' a little close to the weddin' to be picking a cake _now_?"

"Drew's mother is making the cake," Meredith said, her face neutral. Gibbs was getting an unpleasant vibe about Drew's mother, and nodded. "She'll get it done in time."

"Besides," Dan pointed out, wrapping an arm around his fiancée. "It's a small wedding."

"Right. What are our options?"

"We have chocolate, lemon, angel food, red velvet, strawberry, and a cake that I'm pretty sure Drew's mom sent by accident," Dan said, yawning, as he ran a hand through his hair.

"By accident?" Gibbs asked, as Kelly stared at the cake.

"Dad? I don't need to come with you guys today… I'm going to stay right here. With the cakes."

"She also sent a ginger spice cake," Drew said by way of explanation. "I don't know why she'd send that for a wedding-,"

"I love ginger spice!" Edie cut in.

"Really?" Kate asked.

"Yes," Edie said, hesitating when she saw that everyone's eyes were on her. "But of course, I'm looking forward to seeing what other flavors there are."

"You haven't started tryin' them yet?" Gibbs asked, eyebrows raised.

"We were kinda waiting for you, Gibbs." Dan had a guilty grin on his face.

"Don't I feel special."

"Don't lie, Daniel," Edie said, shaking her head. "We were waiting for Kelly, obviously."

"Naturally. She's like a sponge," Gibbs said with a grin.

"Miss Hollow Leg," Kate agreed, and they met eyes, sharing a grin.

They turned to see what Kelly had to say about it, only to find her already digging into the chocolate cake. She looked up, to see everyone looking at her, most of the adults trying to hold back a smile. "What?" she asked.

 **XNCISX**

"Are ya sure we can trust the two of them with a kid, Kate?" he asked, as they walked out to the Jeep. He shot a skeptical in the rearview mirror, as though he could still see the house, where Drew and Mer had been left in charge of Kelly.

"She's 10, Gibbs. I'm pretty sure she can take care of herself. Besides, isn't it you who keeps claiming that they need the practice?" Kate asked with a grin.

He rolled his eyes. "Thanks for puttin' words in my mouth." He grinned at her, to show that he was kidding. "By the way, ya never stop surprisin' me."

"Thanks… I think."

"I just didn't know you could drive."

She glared at him. "Of course I can drive, you idiot!"

"Ya say the sweetest things, Katie."

She rolled her eyes. "Shut up or I'll throw you onto the road and you can hitchhike back to Lake Allen."

"Maybe I will, if you're gonna be snippy." He paused. "Where are we headin' anyway?"

"I wanted to show you something. Don't you trust me."

"Sure thing, Cap'n," he said. "Mind if I turn on the radio?"

"What are you going to sing along?"

"This ain't karaoke, Kate. I'm not gonna _sing._ I am gonna hum a little though."

"Fine, I suppose."

"Good." He turned the radio on, fiddling with the dial. He was shifting in his seat as he did.

"Is something wrong, Gibbs?" she asked, and he paused.

"I'm not used to drivin' so slowly."

"We can't all act like we're NASCAR drivers, Gibbs. How you've never gotten a speeding ticket…"

"Maybe I have," he said casually, continuing to fiddle with the dial.

"Yeah? Did you get out of it?"

"I sure did."

"How, did you badge them?" she asked.

He grinned, and ducked his head sheepishly. "I smiled."

"Liar! You did not!"

"I did too. It was a very pretty officer, Katie. And she was easily persuaded by my eyes. I just had to flutter m' eyelashes and give her a big ol' grin."

"No way anyone fell for that."

"I pull off a great innocent act, Katie," he said, affronted.

"Yeah, right. And I'm the President of the United States."

"Oh ya are? That's good, I'd meant to have a word with ya about one of your policies," he said with a grin, ducking as she took a playful swing at him.

She sighed, as he finally managed to get something other than static on the radio. "I like this song," she sighed.

"It reminds me of you," he said softly.

"What?" she asked.

His voice was tinged with nostalgia. "Ya don't remember?"

"Don't remember what?"

"The very first day Kelly and I walked into the shop. I remember it perfectly."

"I'm sure your memory is impeccable, but mine isn't, so you'll have to remind me."

"Kelly and I walked into your shop, and there ya were…" he was sitting next to her in the Jeep, but she could tell from the tone of his voice that he was reliving the moment that day in the shop. "Cursin' like a sailor, up to your arms in flowers, and hummin' along to the radio…"

"And it was love at first sight?" she replied sarcastically.

"I knew that it was somethin'," he responded, ignoring her sarcasm. "From the minute you insulted me and complimented my daughter. You didn't put up with my shit."

"Why would I?" she responded.

"And this," he gestured to the radio, which was playing _Here Comes the Sun,_ "was playing on the radio when we met."

"Fitting," she said softly.

"Fitting," he echoed.

"Gibbs." She was hit with the curiosity again. "Why… You could've gone anywhere to build a boat this summer. How did you end up here?"

"Whaddaya mean?"

"Lake Allen is a long way from DC. Surely there are closer lakes?"

"It's because of Kelly." They stopped and she chanced a look. There was a hint of a smile on his face. "Guess I should thank her, huh?"

"But…" she stopped herself. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be prying."

"Katie, it's not a sin to want to get to know me." He rubbed a hand over her shoulder, and then turned the radio up. "But we can wait until our destination."

She looked, trying to call up the memory of where she was going, until they pulled up in front of a classic Victorian house with a sweeping lawn, the gardens overflowing with flowers. She parked across the street, staring up at the house. "This is our destination."

"Are we house hunting?" he asked, trying to bring some levity to the situation.

She turned to him, and he saw that it wasn't a time for jokes. "Welcome to Carlisle, Indiana. My hometown."

"And here I thought ya were a native of Lake Allen," he said softly, offering a smile.

She snorted. "I practically am. I haven't lived here since I was four. But this is the house my parents bought when they got married. Have I told you about them?"

"Ya told me they died within a year of each other," he said in reply. "But not much else."

"Well see, they were just a couple of kids when they got married. My dad worked as a police officer…" she trailed off. "When my mom wasn't having or raising kids, she worked as a teacher. They had my older sister Rachel, and then my brother, and then me."

"You're the baby of the family?" he asked with a grin.

"Yeah. That obvious?"

"No, but it explains a bit about why you're such a fighter," he teased.

She swallowed hard. "I was four when my dad died. It was nighttime, he was working late… he responded to a robbery call. He didn't even see it coming… the robber pulled a gun on him, and when he tried to stop them, they shot him." She looked down at her hands, tears blurring her eyes. "It broke my mother's heart. She may have been fussy and overly religious, but she loved my dad."

"So you moved in with your grandparents?" he asked.

She nodded, sighing. "And just like that my world changed again… my mom was pregnant when my dad died."

The truth appeared to dawn on him. "You said you were the baby."

"I was supposed to have a baby brother, but he didn't live… and my mom… I still to this day think she died of a broken heart." She looked up at him, as he reached over, taking her hand. "Do you believe it's possible to die of a broken heart?"

"If I thought that… I wouldn't be here. You learn to live without a heart. Sometimes it's easier. Katie, I…" He paused, gathering his thoughts. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Gibbs. I was a little girl."

"Y'know," he ran a hand through his hair. "I… Shannon and I, we… We tried for so many years to have a baby."

"And now you have her," Kate responded, squeezing his hand back.

"Kate… it's… it's my fault. I wanted kids so badly… it's my fault that Shannon is dead."

"Gibbs, the two of you made the decision to be parents together. It wasn't just one of you, right?"

"Right."

"So it's not your fault." She was pensive for a moment, before saying. "C'mon, let's get out of here."

"Are ya okay, Kate?"

"I will be. Thank you for not minding that I dragged you down memory lane."

"I don't mind. Like I said before, Katie. Not a sin to get to know each other."

"What do you say we go find a spot for lunch?" she asked.

"I'd like that. Not still full from the cake tasting?"

"I hardly got a bite in my mouth, between Drew's antics, and Kelly scarfing down every crumb in sight." The two of them laughed together, as Kate started the Jeep. "Where were they going, do you know?"

"They were taking Kelly to go ride horses."

Kate turned to him. "I didn't know she liked to ride."

"Yeah, she's crazy about horses."

"It's good to have hobbies," she reasoned.

"Ya mean aside from obsessing over food?" he asked.

She laughed. "You're making me hungry! Let's go. I can think of the perfect place for lunch."

 **XNCISX**

His face lit up when she pulled up to the park. "Katie, I…"

"There is a carousel, and a bit of a beach. When you were telling me that story, I thought I'd try and find somewhere similar. And this is where I found. Do you like it?" she asked.

"Katie… wow." She giggled at the look of pure joy on his face. She grabbed the picnic basket from the back seat, and got out of the Jeep. He followed, blue eyes wide. She was glad that she could bring out the younger man in him. Not that she minded his age.

And his grin took at least two decades off his face. "Gibbs, you want to ride the carousel first or eat?"

"Carousel."

Setting the picnic basket down at a table, they walked over to the person operating the carousel. The sound of cheesy calliope music spilled out, staining the sky with music. Gibbs was grinning, and without her prompting, he took her hand in his. She looked down at their joined hands in surprise, but then grinned to herself.

"Hello there, folks! Beautiful day, isn't it?" the operator asked.

"Oh yeah," Gibbs said, looking at Kate, who was alight with happiness, and he knew he'd made the right choice. He'd have to thank Kelly for picking Lake Allen… She'd brought him Kate. "It's a gorgeous day."

His words didn't go unnoticed by Kate, and she blushed, before handing over a dime. "Mind if we ride?"

"Not at all, it's been a quiet day. Gotta say though, you two are on the older end of the spectrum of the riders here."

"It's a nostalgia thing," Kate said with a smile. They climbed onto the platform, and she looked around, admiring the horses. "Well, Kelly is riding horses today, and so are we."

He chuckled, and she whipped around, realizing that he'd actually found her lame joke funny. "Ya know, Kate, I come from a long line of horse traders. Maybe I should pick our horses?"

"Oh sure. Be my guest. Pick our mighty steeds."

"Don't mind if I do…" He wandered around the edge, the music nearly drowning out the pounding of his heart.

"Hey, Gibbs, out of curiosity did any of these horse traders get hung?" she asked, amused.

"Yeah, a few." He turned to her. "Ya sayin' ya don't trust me, Katie?"

"That, Gibbs, is a loaded question."

"Damn right." He stepped closer, looking down at her with a knowing grin. "And what's your answer?"

"Just pick a horse, Gibbs."

He patted the one closest to him, a black one with a ratty mane. "This one." He patted the brown one next to it. "That's yours."

"Functional mute, thy name is Jethro," she mumbled, before climbing onto the horse, clutching the pole. "You know, I saw an new art gallery in town. We should take Kelly there sometime." He turned to stare at her, surprised, and in a blinding instant, hearing her suggestion, sitting on a carousel with her after he'd specifically told her the story of the carousel, he realized: he loved her. From the freckles across her glowing face to her brown eyes lit up with excitement- he realized he was staring at her. She raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

As they started to move, he managed a helpless grin. And then he leaned across the gap between their horses, as the carousel blared its cheesy music and creaked with age, and spun a web of nostalgia and new memories, and said softly. "I'm just perfect, Katie. Thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome. Now are you going to kiss me or not?"

"I was gettin' to it," he replied, before leaning in and kissing her. It was a kiss tinged with lingering nostalgia, and he was still shaken with the realization that he, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, had done the unthinkable.

He'd fallen in love again.


	13. Chapter 13

She'd nearly surprised him in the kitchen, in the middle of making breakfast for himself. He was trying to decide if he should put bourbon in his coffee in order to deal with the upcoming events of the afternoon, but eventually decided against it. If he hadn't been a former Marine and a father, he wouldn't have heard the creak of the floorboards or the rattle of the screen door.

"Morning, Gibbs." The voice behind him was quiet, and he grinned to himself, throwing the dish towel over his shoulder and turning around to greet his visitor.

"Good mornin' Meredith. What's goin' on?"

"I thought Kate might be here."

"And why would ya think that?" he asked, crossing his arms, amused.

"Because if she's not at the flower shop, she's usually here." She grinned. "And by usually I mean always."

"Somehow I doubt she'd quite appreciate _that_ assumption."

"Do you know where she is? I stopped by her place, but no one was home."

"Edie needs a wedding dress. She took Kate and Kelly with her for a second opinion."

"And they didn't invite me?" she asked, looking hurt.

"Maybe they felt that ya had enough on your plate, hmm?" he asked. Seeing that she really was hurt, he smiled. "Sit down, I'll make ya some breakfast."

"Oh would you?" she asked, relieved, collapsing at the kitchen table. "This is the first morning in _weeks_ I haven't thrown up – knock wood – and I'm _starving._ Sorry," she said, realizing he was staring. "Too much information?"

"I've been married three times," he said with a smile. "I've heard worse." He walked over to the fridge, throwing open the door. "Whaddaya feel like eating? I can make eggs… bacon… toast."

"I didn't think it took great culinary skill to make toast," she replied dryly. "Scrambled eggs would be nice, and hot buttered toast…" she had a dreamy look on her face that nearly made him laugh.

"Sure thing." He walked back over to the stove. "Ya wanna tell me the real reason you're here, Mer?"

"Am I that obvious?" she asked, frowning.

"Hate to tell ya, but yeah." He shook his head, lost in thought. "Why are ya here?"

"I wanted some advice."

"Oh?" he asked.

"And in return for advice, I'll help you win Kate over."

He paused, about to crack an egg against the frying pan. "Help me do _what_?"

"I know you're in love with her, Gibbs." It was a quiet statement but it had the opposite of a quiet effect. Gibbs promptly fumbled with the egg, and dropped it on the floor, letting fly a very bad word in French. Meredith was giggling as he turned to glare at her.

" _What_?"

"You love Kate. Don't bother denying it, it's as plain as the nose on your face."

He blinked a few times, staring at her in a wordless moil. "How can ya..?"

"Because it's the way _I_ used to look at Kate. Don't think I don't know what adoration looks like."

He narrowed his eyes. "Still want that egg? Because 'm tempted to make ya lick it up off the floor."

She laughed. "You wouldn't do that to a poor pregnant lady."

"It's not so much _you_ I have sympathy for right now, so much as I do Drew. I'm guessing he still doesn't know."

She blushed, caught out. "No," she admitted. "He doesn't know."

"Why haven't ya told him, Mer? Do ya think he won't be happy?" he asked, wiping up the egg, before sitting down across from her, forgetting breakfast temporarily.

She looked down at her hands which were clenched together on the table, and then gave him a wry smile. "Quite the opposite. I know he'll be ecstatic."

"So why keep it from him?"

"Gibbs do you remember my story about those journalists in Savannah?"

"Yeah. You were a journalist too, right?"

"And now I'm here," it was a sad smile. "We all make sacrifices, Gibbs."

He could see Kelly as an infant, and then as a gap-toothed first grader, her red hair blazing, so much like her mother. The mother she'd never gotten a chance to know. He felt a lump in his throat quite suddenly, and sighed. "Yeah. We do."

"I was a journalist, had a promising career too. But Drew's mother hated the fact that I worked. This isn't exactly a modern town, as you might've noticed."

"Noticed. No one seems to mind Kate workin'," he commented.

Her mouth twisted into a bitter smile. "She's not a married woman though," she informed him. "Drew's mother and father passed the diner on to him, so that he couldn't leave town. And my journalism career died in Savannah, the day I said _I do_."

"It'd be easy to resent Drew for that," he said, hoping he was wrong.

She looked up at him, and shook her head. "We make sacrifices for love. Drew was worth it. But… I just feel like it proves his mother right."

"How so?" he asked, confused.

"I'm supposed to stay at home and do my God-given talent of popping out grandchildren for her, and keeping myself away from a career. I work at the diner, but that's the family business… that one day, little Oggy here will inherit, like it or not."

"Oggy?" Gibbs asked, snorting, as she moved her hands from the table to her belly. "Hell of a nickname for a baby."

"It's short for Oglethorpe," she replied.

He started laughing, and set down his cup of coffee he was laughing so hard. She looked oddly affronted but then smiled when she saw he meant no offense. " _Oglethorpe_?" he wheezed finally.

"Um." Her cheeks which had already been pink in the summer heat flushed to a bright fuchsia. "Drew and I had our honeymoon in Savannah. Which was founded by James Oglethorpe."

"An' you're thinkin' that's where Junior there was conceived?"

She was still blushing. "That's my current hypothesis."

He grinned. "Oggy. I hope Drew finds that as funny as I did." He straightened. "Should be makin' ya breakfast. So I'm guessing little Oggy there wasn't planned?"

"Considering we're practically newlyweds?" she asked, just as amused, as he went back over to the stove. "No. But we weren't exactly… cautious either."

He chuckled to himself. "My wife and I tried for a good eight or so years to have a baby."

"That would be your first wife?"

He snorted again, derisively this time. "Trust me Mer, I wouldn't have _wanted_ kids with the other two. Big mistake marryin' them, havin' kids woulda made it ten times _worse._ But yes… her name was Shannon."

"And what did you and Shannon call Kelly before she was born?"

He sighed, hanging his head, before turning back around to her, giving her a look. "Ya don't beat around the bush, do ya?"

"No."

He smiled to himself, and she could see the nostalgia clear on his face. "Lincoln."

"How is that any better than Oglethorpe?" she demanded, snorting to herself.

"Lincoln. Shannon's favorite president. Used to drive me crazy when she'd write about it in her letters. Got to the point where… if Kelly had been a boy, she woulda had the middle name Lincoln."

"That's a cute story, Gibbs. Very patriotic."

"Well what did you expect?" he asked, with a half-shrug. "Dunno if you've noticed but I'm a Marine."

"So using your logic, if Oggy is a boy, should his middle name be Oglethorpe?"

"Definitely not," he said firmly. "Funny middle names are a terrible burden to bear. I should know."

"Don't you go by your middle name?" she asked, amused.

"Mer, do ya know how many people snicker when they hear that my name is _Leroy Jethro_? I've almost gotten used to just being Gibbs."

She grinned, leaning on the table. "So you _are_ aware that people talk about you?"

He shrugged again. "It's a small town, Mer. 'Course people talk. Don't mean I have to listen. And if they're talkin' about me, what do you think they're sayin' about you?"

She froze in her chair. "What do you mean?"

He turned, setting the plate down in front of here. "If ya want my advice… tell your husband that he's going to be a dad."

"I will… and you should tell Kate that you love her."

"All in good time."

 **XNCISX**

"If I have to look at one more lacy monstrosity, I will literally eat my own arm."

"Stop being so dramatic, Kate," Edie called from her dressing room. "And why aren't you trying on dresses?"

"Because I have some dignity left?" she asked, and Kelly giggled from beside her. "And why didn't you pick a dress sooner again?"

"Because I've been a little preoccupied with wedding planning, if you haven't noticed," Edie called back.

"What dress is this, anyway?" Kelly asked, whispering to Kate.

"The eleventh," Kate muttered back.

Edie called out, "Okay, I'm coming out."

Kate rolled her eyes, as Edie stepped out of the dressing room, smiling at them before she turned to the mirror. It was hideously lacy, and not at all elegant. It looked like…

"You look like some kind of molting bird," Kate sniggered.

Edie glared at her. "Thank you Kate. Now that you've commented so kindly on my attire, I think it's time you try on a dress."

"Why? I was going to wear a tuxedo to your wedding." She sipped her champagne. "Or a pantsuit."

"Like Hillary Clinton?" Kelly asked with a slight smile.

"But you need a dress that will really wow Gibbs," Edie protested. "I doubt a pantsuit has _quite_ the same sex appeal."

She choked, and glared at Edie, setting down her champagne glass. " _Sex appeal_? Edie, I'm not trying to seduce the man!" And then she shot a guilty look at Kelly who was trying to suppress a smile, but who offered her own opinion.

"That's true. He already _really_ likes you. I don't think you need to seduce him… but I'm sure dad would prefer if you showed up in nothing." Kelly was giggling too, and she and Edie collapsed into hysterics.

"Yes, _that_ would seduce him, but…" Edie gasped. "We wouldn't want poor Kate arrested for indecent exposure!"

"Is this really appropriate-," Kate tried.

"I'm sure dad would get her off!" Kelly cut her off, tears streaming down her face.

The two of them were laughing as Kate stood there, arms crossed. Seeing the expression on her face only drove them further into hysterical laughter. Finally, she threw up her hands, disgusted. "Fine! If the two of you will shut up, then I'll go try on some dresses!" Seeing that they were quieting down, she continued. "On one condition."

"Name it," Kelly said with a grin.

"Stop trying to set me up with your father!" she said, pointing at Kelly, before shifting her glare onto Edie who shivered, suddenly quiet. "Pick a dress, sometime preferably before the game this afternoon."

The annual town baseball game was that afternoon, and while Edie and Kelly weren't playing, Kate was. Sighing, she stood and made her way over to the dress rack. "I really hate you guys," she mumbled.

"No you don't!" Kelly called, before turning to Edie. "And that's not the dress for you."

"Fine. But this one – number twelve – this is my last one, I swear!"

"Yeah? And I'm Wonder Woman!" Kate called over her shoulder, wishing that she could be with Gibbs instead of being dragged around looking at wedding dresses. She didn't need to wow Gibbs (or seduce him), because what was the point? At the end of the summer he would go back to DC and she would remain in Lake Allen. It was a summer fling. She was sure that was how he saw it. Once the boat was finished, he'd be gone, and he'd take Kelly with him, and the little family she was becoming a part of would be gone.

She kept looking through the dresses on the rack, smiling to herself as she heard Edie and Kelly talking, Kelly's voice an excited babble of words, while Edie was a little quieter, but still clearly happy. Kate really didn't mind, however much she protested, because spending time with Kelly always brightened her day. And then she picked out a dress, knowing exactly what had inspired the designer, and hiding it behind her back, sidled over to the dressing room beside Edie's, whose door was closed.

"Is that you, Kate?" came the voice through the wall as she disrobed.

"Yes."

"Oh good." She sounded frazzled. "I was worried I'd gone mad and started talking to total strangers. I tell you, it would _not_ be the strangest thing I've ever done."

Kate laughed, unable to help herself. She really was starting to like Edie, whether it was her choice or not. "It wouldn't?"

"Caitlin, I am a thoroughly modern woman, and no doubt some of my stories would shock you."

"Somehow, I doubt that," she mumbled to herself, wriggling into the dress.

"Did you say something?"

"No!"

"Are you guys almost done?" she heard Kelly ask from outside. "I wanna see!"

"Just like your dad," she muttered. "So used to getting your own way."

"I heard that!"

"I meant it as a compliment!" she called back.

Edie sighed. "All right, I am finished. And I'm not sure, but I have a good feeling about this."

"Then let's see!" Kelly demanded.

Kate finished zipping herself up, before calling to Edie. "Ready when you are."

She heard the sound of the other door unlocking and unbolted the door to her dressing room, stepping out at the same time as Edie. And staring at her, she realized that her brother had amazing taste.

Kelly gasped. "Wow, Edie… it's beautiful!"

Kate grinned at her, meeting Edie's eye. "It's amazing. My brother is going to pass out when he sees you."

"Hopefully not," she replied dryly. "But I guess you'll have to catch him."

"Me? I'm not going to be at the front."

"Yes, you- oh. _Daniel_." She scowled. "He hasn't told you yet?"

"Told me _what_?" Kate asked, alarmed.

"You can ask him yourself."

"Kate, you look awesome too!" Kelly cried, bouncing up and down in her seat. "I mean it, you look so cute! Dad is gonna love it!"

"Who cares what he thinks?" she asked, examining herself in the mirror. " _I_ like it."

"And that's all that matters," Edie agreed. "But if it does help, Kelly is right. Gibbs' jaw will drop."

"And what about you?" Kate asked, grinning at her. "I gotta say… wow."

"It's a good thing you're with Gibbs, because otherwise my brother might have competition?" Edie asked, the corner of her mouth twitching.

Kate threw up her hands. "Does _everyone_ know?"

Edie grinned. "I only know because Daniel told me."

Kate shook her head, changing the subject. "Right. And what about a veil? What will you do?"

"Did you learn that from Daniel?" Edie asked, undaunted.

"Learn _what_ from him?"

"The subject change. He does it too."

"I suspect it's in our blood. Veil?"

"I was planning on it."

"Hmmm…" Kate looked around, her eyes landing on a hat rack with two different hats- one white and black. She lifted up her camera. "How about we take a look at the hats? And do a little photo shoot?"

"If those photos end up in Daniel's hands, I will ensure that you do not live long enough to regret it," Edie threatened. And then she laughed. "What a marvelous idea!"

"Kelly, wanna grab me those hats?" The hats came with veils, and Kelly eagerly grabbed both of them, before walking over to Edie, and holding them out.

"Here you go."

Edie grinned at her. "Which one do you think I should pick, Miss Kelly?"

"I don't think you should consult me," she replied gravely. "I'm not a wedding planner, I'm ten."

"I trust your judgement," she replied, just as grave, before smiling. "Now c'mon help me out."

Kelly handed her the white one, before sticking the black one on her head. "Can I be the groom?"

"Heteronormativity is rolling in its grave," Kate mumbled, lifting her camera as Edie nodded. She started snapping pictures as Kelly and Edie fooled around, giggling together at the absurdity of the situation. And yet, her heart felt lighter, watching them, even with the slight tangle of complicated emotions at seeing this new family of hers come together. It hurt her heart to think that it would end one day.

It shouldn't have bothered her that Kelly would grow up without her. And yet seeing her dancing around laughing with Edie, the black top hat slipping down over her eyes, all Kate wanted was to see her grow up, to see her on her first date, with her first boyfriend (or girlfriend)… and on her wedding day.

Kate did not have a future with Kelly and Gibbs, but she did have a camera, and all she could hope to do with it was capture the little moments that made her heart soar.

Edie and Kelly dancing together.

Edie spinning Kelly around, laughing.

Edie carrying Kelly in her arms, the two of them in hysterics.

Kelly riding around on Edie's back, holding the empty champagne glass like a sword at an invisible enemy.

And the two of them standing, looking like long-lost relatives, before dragging Kate into a picture with the three of them. They collapsed afterwards in a heap on the cushions in front of the dressing room, giggling together like young girls at a sleepover.

Kate knew she was selfish, but she didn't want just one summer.

 **XNCISX**

He made his way into the stands, clutching an ice cold beer and a carton of steaming hot fries, shoving past people in his way, to sit down next to Kelly and Edie. "Have I missed anything yet?"

"No, dad," Kelly replied, reaching for the fries. "Except that Dan struck out."

"Ha!" he snorted. "Terrible."

"Gibbs, do you think you can do better? Because if so, go up there yourself."

"Oh no, I can't. Strictly Lake Allen natives. How went the wedding dress shopping?"

"A success, on all three counts. Kate, Kelly and I are all outfitted for the occasion." She smiled at the thought, staring wistfully at Dan in the dugout.

"Kelly has a dress?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes dad, keep up," Kelly succeeded in grabbing a fry, and when he glared at her, she stuck her tongue out at him. "Kate bought it for me."

"I gotta-,"

"And she said if you try and pay her back, she'll kick you in the balls," Kelly reported. "To quote her."

He realized that several elderly people around them were glaring at Kelly's words, so he asked Edie conversationally. "How go things with the wedding?"

"We have the dress, the flower arrangements prepared, the cake flavor picked…" She absentmindedly ruffled Kelly's hair, who tolerated it with just an eye roll, and a smile. "The church and hall are booked. Dan met with the caterers – Drew's parents, you know – and now all that's necessary is that Dan actually has to show up."

He chuckled. "Sometimes that's the hardest part to guarantee. But don't worry. Dan's smitten."

"He's not the only one," she replied, lightly. "Can I have one? I've been dieting to keep myself fit for the wedding."

"Bad idea," he said with a shake of his head.

"Maybe, but I think one chip will be okay." She smirked, and then sighed. "Oh that is _so_ good."

"I meant the _diet_ was a bad idea," he replied.

"Have you talked to Kate lately?" Edie asked, gesturing towards the bench.

He pointed a fry at her. "Just 'cause you're gonna be a Todd doesn't mean ya got the subject changin' down."

"I'm working on it," she admitted. And then grinned. "I am going to be a Todd, aren't I? I hadn't thought about it."

"I did talk to Kate, actually. I got to listen to her make an obligatory _swing both ways_ joke. And then she threatened to hit me with the bat if I cheered for her."

"Shush," Kelly smacked him. "Kate's at bat."

He looked over, only to see Kate. She met his eyes and grinned at him, wiping the sweat from her forehead, and he gave a little wave. She winked at him, before turning to await the pitcher. She missed on the first swing, and he watched with bated breath, as she prepared herself to swing again.

It was as though time had slowed down, and he muttered to himself, "C'mon Katie. Ya got this."

The pitcher threw the ball, and in the silence of the hot afternoon, the stands all heard the crack of the ball connecting with wood, as Kate swung with all the life she had in her. The ball went soaring through the bright blue sky, and Gibbs watching as the other team scrambled for it, as Kate took off, running like the wind, and _God_ she may be awkward around the shop, but running the bases she was all glory and grace, an antelope across the savannah, rounding every corner with a unmistakable determination, and he hadn't even realized that he'd risen to his feet as she made it closer to home, feet pounding in the dirt. "C'mon Katie."

And then as she crossed home, her hands went up in a soundless gesture of victory, and the stands erupted. Gibbs couldn't help but yell, despite Kate's earlier warning, "GO KATIE!"

She'd gotten the first home run of the game, and Gibbs couldn't help himself, he couldn't wait another second to celebrate the minor victory. Her team was cheering loudly, as Gibbs shoved his fries into Kelly's hands (much to her joy), and pushed his way through the crowds on the bleachers. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he marched over to Katie, and grinning down at her, his heart embracing the sight of her face flushed with victory and laughter. He could've counted every freckle, but instead he cupped her face in his hands and pulled her into a victory kiss. She was clearly surprised at such a public display of affection, but relaxed into the kiss, before deepening the kiss by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him even closer.

When he pulled away, they shared a mutually embarrassed grin, as wolf whistles and cheers erupted at their kiss. She blushed. "People are _really_ going to talk now," she warned, but grinned all the same.

"Let them talk," he replied, before leaning back in and kissing her again.


	14. Chapter 14

There was a stranger in Gibbs's kitchen, and it took Kate at least five minutes of incessant rambling before she realized that it wasn't Gibbs she was babbling at. "I managed to find our old picnic basket in the attic, and there weren't even any rats in it… which is a good thing because I am _not_ a fan of rats. And then I had to stop by the diner and pick up a pie- I know Kelly likes pie, but I can't imagine her eating the whole pie, _and_ it's raspberry, because those are in season right now, plus I still refuse to eat cherries… And anyway," she concluded, setting down her parcels on the dining table, "How are… Oh."

The stranger was staring at her, eyebrows raised and a smirk gracing his lips. The dark hair shot with grey and green eyes gave him an intimidating air, and she had spent too much time in Washington to not be wary. But then, she also trusted Gibbs's judgement. She crossed her arms, giving him what she hoped was a disarming smile.

He grinned back. "Bernard comma Theodore. And you are?"

"Kate. Todd."

He stood up from his spot at the table, and shook her hand. "So why exactly do you refuse to eat cherries?"

"Because once you've seen 'em with white fur, ya can't forget," Gibbs said, walking in with a towel thrown over his shoulder, walking over and kissing Kate. "See ya met my friend."

She grabbed the towel and swiped at his cheek. "You have soap on your cheek," she said with a grin.

"Was shavin'. Know ya don't like the stubble," he said, nudging her.

"Depends," she responded, and he grinned.

"That right?"

"Yep."

"As much as I'm enjoying this show," Theodore – Teddy – said from where he was now leaning against the counter. "It isn't why I came."

"Okay," Gibbs replied, turning away from Kate to grin at his friend. "Get out."

"Funny."

"I try."

"He really does try," Kate said sympathetically. "He can't help that he isn't funny."

"Hey!" he said, offended, turning back to her.

She winked at him, before kissing him on the cheek. "By the way… don't hate me."

"What did ya do, Katie?" he asked, sighing.

"I may have said that we can feed Drew and Meredith… and my brother… and Edie."

"Wow, Leroy, starting a collection?" Teddy teased.

"Katie, did I miss the part where we got married?" he asked, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

"It's just dinner!" she protested.

"Katie, we're supposed to be out all day… are ya tellin' me that on top of spendin' all day together, we're hostin' dinner too?"

She kissed him on the cheek. "I knew you'd agree!"

He made a face at her back, and Teddy grinned, grabbing the picnic basket. "So tell me, Kate – can I call you Kate?"

"Go ahead," she said with a shrug.

"But not Katie," Gibbs said softly, winking at her.

She rolled her eyes. "That one is reserved for Gibbs."

"Which one of his rules is that?" Teddy asked, before giving a perfect imitation of Gibbs. "Ah yes, rule 68: no one may call my girlfriend Katie but me."

"Can it, Teddy, or you're walkin' back to New York."

Kate turned, surprised. "You're from _New York_? Don't take this the wrong way, but how the hell did you end up out here?"

"Gibbs invited me," Teddy said with a shrug.

"That was my first mistake," Gibbs told her with a smile.

She wrapped an arm around his waist. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yep," he said, as they made their way towards the door. "Do ya have a destination in mind?"

"I do, actually. It's kind of a surprise for your daughter…"

"Kiss-ass," he teased.

"Depends on whose ass," she replied.

"Ick," Teddy muttered.

"Teddy-," Gibbs threatened.

"Let's get Kelly, and get going!"

 **XNCISX**

"Leroy, when you promised to show me the sights, I didn't expect this," Teddy said, leaning in between the front seats of Gibbs's Jeep. "Isn't this a little cultured for you?"

"What's that supposed to mean, Ted?" Gibbs asked, absentmindedly as Kate grinned beside him.

"An art gallery? I could expect a shooting range… or a beach… or a broth-,"

"Hey," Kate warned, before jerking her head in Kelly's direction.

But Kelly wasn't paying attention. She was so focused on what was outside her window, that she'd even dropped the sandwich she'd been eating in her lap, eyes wide as she stared up at the art gallery. And Kate, twisted around in her seat to watch Kelly's reaction, grinned to herself.

Gibbs put the Jeep in park, and turned to her, before noticing Kelly's reaction. "Good job, Katie. Home run," he teased.

She winked at him.

Gibbs turned back to Teddy, who'd been sitting in the back with Kelly. "Don't worry, Ted, if it's the beach you're after… you'll get it."

"When?"

"Dad!" Kelly interrupted. "Can we go in? Please please _please_?"

"Yeah, Kelly, go on. Go!" he said, shooing her out of the car. She hopped out, leaving her sandwich behind.

Gibbs and Kate both stared at it, and when they looked back at each other, they crackled up. Giggling helplessly, Kate got out, and leaned against it.

"So tell me, Kate," Teddy said, coming around the back. "What _are_ we having for dinner?"

"Good question," Gibbs said, joining them. "Tell me, Katie, you're smart. What's your answer?"

"Well," she started, before eyeing Teddy. "We do have a slight problem when it comes to dinner prep."

"Why? I thought you could cook," he teased, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"It's not me. It's Meredith."

"Who's Meredith?" Teddy asked.

"My best friend. Works at the diner… coming for dinner tonight."

Teddy blinked. "Brown hair with highlights, lots of freckles… pregnant?" Gibbs managed to keep his face expressionless but Kate knew she must have looked surprised, because Teddy grinned. "I had to stop in for directions this morning. Leroy is great at a lotta things, but directions… not his strong point."

"No, the problem is you don't follow directions," Gibbs retorted.

"Actually the real point that should be made here is that Teddy actually stopped and asked for directions. Men don't typically do that," Kate joked.

They both made faces at her, but Gibbs took it a step further. "That's because Marines shouldn't need directions."

"Right, and how long ago were you a Marine?" she asked innocently.

His eyes flashed. "Long enough."

"Well, Leroy here was a much better soldier than me, so…" Teddy saluted him. "Semper Fi."

"Is that how you met?" Kate asked.

Teddy nodded, and grinned. "The start of something beautiful, huh Leroy?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Couldn't get rid of ya… too damn persistent."

"Keep telling yourself that," Teddy said, before batting his eyes at Gibbs, who rolled his, and deliberately took a stop further from Teddy, moving closer to Kate.

"So," he said. "Meredith?"

"Nice subject change," she replied.

"Learned from the best," he said with a wink.

"She said she won't eat mushrooms… or olives... or beef. And told me in no uncertain terms when I picked up the pie this morning that if we serve that stuff, she'll deliberately vomit on us."

Teddy laughed. "Sounds like a wonderful lady."

"Dammit," Gibbs muttered. "Guess 'm cancellin' the martinis."

"Hilarious."

"And has she told Drew yet?"

"Nope," Kate said, resigned.

"Wait, you mean… pregnant lady… uh Meredith… her husband doesn't _know_? But it's… obvious!" Teddy protested. "I almost congratulated him this morning, only I didn't see him!"

"He's right," Gibbs agreed. "Much as I hate sayin' it. She waits much longer, everyone's gonna be congratulatin' him on Oggy before she can tell him."

" _Oggy_?" Teddy asked disbelieving. "What the _hell_ is an _Oggy_?"

Gibbs sighed, and that sent Kate into another fit of giggling. "It's short for Oglethorpe," he said.

Teddy whooped, leaning against the Jeep he was laughing so hard. He was attracting the attention of passers-by, who were looking at him like he was armed and dangerous. "Oglethorpe?" he demanded after a second, wiping his eyes. "Jesus, Leroy, don't do that. I think I hurt something!"

"Are you guys coming or not?" came a yell, and all three of them turned to the door, where Kelly was standing, hands on her hips. She looked completely fed up with her adult companions, who exchanged sheepish glances.

"Yeah Kelly, we're comin'," Gibbs said, arm around Kate as they started walking towards the art gallery. "So what exactly do I have to look at?"

"A lot of paintings of flowers," she told him. "it's an art exhibit inspired by Monet- Kelly and I were discussing him in the shop a while ago."

"Monet?" Teddy asked.

"Bein' cultured ain't a bad thing," Gibbs told him.

"And you think you know a man…" Teddy said, voice mournful. "The Leroy Gibbs _I_ knew… his idea of culture was getting McDonald's instead of eating at mess."

"I grew up," he retorted. "Some of us do, ya know."

"Truly a tragedy."

"You grew up?" Kate asked, surprised. "I guess I missed that memo."

"Keep it up, Katie, and you're gonna be in charge of dinner tonight… solo."

"Oh no, I can't," She held open the gallery door for the other two. "Dan wants to talk about wedding stuff."

Teddy gasped, and they both turned to him, confused. "You're getting married?" he asked.

"Not me, you wingnut," Gibbs told him, before slapping him upside the head. "Kate's brother."

"Oh. My condolences," he told her. And he actually looked disappointed. "Let me just say though, Leroy, you would have had a beautiful wedding… what would that be, your fourth?"

Gibbs raised his hand again, threateningly. "I'll be too happy to hit ya again," he told him.

Kate grinned, interjecting, "Apparently he's got something to ask me… but if he asks me one more time why I don't have a date… I'll ensure he regrets it."

"Pretty lady like you… and you don't have a date?" Teddy asked. "Leroy, what's wrong with you?"

"Shut it, Ted, and look at the art. Might be too sophisticated for you, but hey, there are no words, jus' pictures," Gibbs teased.

Teddy said something highly uncharitable in French, and went over to join Kelly who was staring in awe at one of the paintings. Kate was about to say to Gibbs that she had made a good choice in picking the art gallery, but when she turned to say something, she found him watching her. "What?" she asked.

"Nothin'," he said, realizing he'd been caught. "Nice art."

"Yeah. It's good to look at if you like pictures."

"Funny."

"Keep telling me I'm funny, my ego might inflate past the point of safety."

"Can't have that," he said, before leaning down and kissing her.

"What was that for?" she asked once he'd pulled away.

"Well, Teddy's right."

"About what?" she asked, feeling a bit more hopeful than a simple sentence like that warranted.

"You are a very pretty lady," he told her. "An' it's probably a good thing you're not getting married."

"Oh, and why is that?" she asked, amused.

"Because," he told her. "It means I let ya go."

"Oh?" she asked. "You wouldn't be the groom?" It was half in jest, but he sighed, and met her eyes. She liked to deny that she had profile training, but his face was clearly readable.

"Don't look at me like that, Jethro Gibbs. And don't throw away your shot while you've still got it," she warned him. "Now c'mon. Let's look at some art."

He watched her walk away, blinking to himself, before realizing that she'd read him like a book. Though he felt like she'd seen just seen him naked, the look on _her_ face told him that she didn't seem to mind what she'd seen. He was in an art gallery, filled with different paintings, but the greatest work of art was right under his nose… and though he felt like an idiot for thinking it, he knew that unlike the rest of the art, she'd be going home with him.

 **XNCISX**

"No!" Kelly shrieked, holding up her hands and laughing as Teddy splashed her. "Uncle Teddy!"

Teddy was too busy laughing to notice that Gibbs had snuck up behind him, and wasn't aware of his coming downfall, until Gibbs tackled him into the chilly waves of the lake.

Kate was sitting on the beach, a thin towel all that separated her from the sun-warmed sand. She was smiling as she watching the other three roughhousing.

"C'mere Katie!" Gibbs called, before shaking his head, sending droplets of cold water flying in every direction. He was currently giving Kelly a piggyback ride.

"We can chicken fight!"

"All right!" Kate called back. "Teddy, you can get on _my_ shoulders."

Teddy froze in place as she stood up, walking down to join them in the waves, goosebumps popping up as she stepped into the cool water. And yet, it was also a relief after sitting in the hot sun. "You're serious?" he asked, incredulous as she walked towards him.

"What, you don't think I can do it?"

"Didn't say that."

"Where did ya get that kinda muscle workin' at the flower shop, Katie?"

"You develop quite the strength when you have to pick up the pieces," she told him with a laugh. "But since you don't trust me… Kelly, come on," she said, turning to Kelly. "Hop up on my shoulders, and we can show these old guys a thing or two."

"Did she just call us old?" Gibbs asked Teddy.

"I don't know. I have water in my ears," Teddy replied, and then nudged him. "Or maybe I'm going deaf in my old age!"

"She's gonna regret callin' me old," Gibbs muttered.

"Why, Leroy, worried you can't keep up with her?" Teddy teased.

Gibbs grinned. "Can't be too old, or I couldn't do this!" He shoved Teddy into the surf, before sneaking up on Kate, and dousing her with cold water.

She turned around, eyes blazing, and sent a wave his way, splashing him. She was close enough that he could see her eyes, lit up as they were with happiness, and the new freckles that had popped up from hours spent in the sun, and most of all, he was watching her laugh. He grabbed her, lifting her up in his arms in a bridal carry. "Hey Katie," he told her. She was now close enough that he could smell the coconut sunscreen. Combined with the bright red bikini she was wearing (which had made his brain short-circuit when he saw it), it gave her the air of a bright tropical bird.

"Hi Gibbs," she told him in return, before seeing that he was watching her again. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Just trying to picture you wet," he told her, his voice lower.

Whatever he said, had sparked something in her. "We can arrange that."

"Oh, I know," he told her with a grin, before dropping her into the lake. She came up sputtering as he laughed.

"You're such a bastard!" she told him, wringing out her floppy sunhat.

"I know," he said smugly. "I take great pride in it. Did ya mean what ya said about _we can arrange that_?"

"Well," she told him, standing up. "I guess you'll never know now."

He followed her out onto the beach, where the portable radio they'd brought was spitting out a staticky version of some Phil Collins song. He flopped down beside her, and brushed a few grains of sand off her feet for her. They sat there in silence for a few moments, the song washing over them, and then he turned to her. "Katie?"

She looked over, giving him a smile. "What is it, Gibbs?"

"That was a good thing ya did today. For Kelly," he said.

"I wanted to do it. I wish I could have done more," she said, shrugging.

"Ya didn't have to do it though," he told her. "But ya did. Ya remembered what she told you, and used it to do somethin' nice for her! Most people wouldn't think to do that."

"You would though," she told him.

He shrugged. "Dunno bout that Katie, but nice of ya to think it."

"If you're wondering… I didn't just do it because we're together," she told him.

He blinked. "What?"

"I didn't just do something nice for Kelly to impress you. If that's what you're thinking."

"No, no, Katie, I…" He trailed off, and could see that she was doubting him. "Katie, I don't think ya get exactly what today meant. Not just to her, but to me."

"Oh?" she asked.

"I wanted to find someone… who when ya meet them, it's like comin' home. Ya know?" he asked.

She nodded, meeting his eye.

"Seein' ya with Kelly today… it was… like that," he finished. _Ah yes, Gibbs, very smooth. So suave. Idiot._

"It was… like that?" she replied, and he saw that she doubted what he was saying.

"Yes," he said more firmly. "It was like… comin' home… for _both_ of us."

"And Kelly told you that?" she asked.

"Well… no. But I'm her dad. I know her. Mean a lot to us, Katie."

"Well the two of you mean a lot to me too," she told him, before leaning in and kissing him. He took her face in his hands, kissing her back. He was terrible with words, yes, but he hoped that this would convey what he couldn't say.

"Are the two of you done?" Teddy demanded, and they broke apart. And Gibbs saw something he hadn't meant to: the look on her face, which suggested that she had come home too. "Because we're hungry."

"Kelly is still swimming," Kate pointed out.

"Fine," he said. "I'm hungry. And I get cranky if you don't feed me."

"He's like a kindergartner," Kate said incredulously.

"It's the boyish charm," Teddy said, sitting on the sand, ignoring the fact that his backside would be coated in it when he stood up again. "Give me a sandwich, hold the sand."

"He reminds me of someone," Kate said, turning to Gibbs as she handed Teddy his requested sandwich. "I can't figure out who."

"George Clooney?" Teddy asked, before taking a bite of the sandwich. "Hugh Jackman?"

"Nope," she said, before narrowing her eyes. "It's on the tip of my tongue."

"Kiss her, Gibbs, maybe that'll loosen her tongue," Teddy suggested through the sandwich he'd crammed in his mouth.

"You're so juvenile," she told him.

Gibbs grinned. "He's right though… wouldn't mind kissin' ya, especially in that," he said gesturing to her bikini.

"Reminds me of Puerto Rico," Teddy said, wistfully. "Women in two pieces… everywhere."

"I'm in a two piece…?" Kate said, confused.

"Not that kinda two piece, darlin'," Gibbs told her.

"Bottoms," Teddy elaborated, seeing she was still confused. "And a hat."

"Oh God," she groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Any way I could get you to try that?" Gibbs asked her teasingly.

She elbowed him. "You first."

"Wouldn't fit me," he winked.

"Still," Teddy said, sliding his shades down his nose to eye them. "wouldn't hear Gibbs complaining if you did try it. Or any man with a working-,"

"Okay! I've heard enough!" she said, holding up her hands in surrender. "Pigs. I'm friends with pigs!"

Teddy and Gibbs were still laughing as Kelly walked up. "Kate?"

"What is it, sweetie?" she asked, the pet name falling from her lips naturally.

Kelly grinned. "Can we go on the carousel?"

"You don't want to eat first?"

"I want to go on the carousel," Kelly stated again, and then gestured that Kate should lean down. She died, and Kelly whispered. "I wanna go on it with _you_ , Kate."

Kate grinned down at her. "You bet, Kelly. Let's go. Leave these old geezers to it."

"I heard that!" Teddy called as they walked away.

"Did she say something?" Gibbs asked, laughing.

Kate just put her arm around Kelly shoulder, and the two exchanged a knowing look of _wow we really love an idiot, don't we?_ And then they dissolved into laughter.

"I think they're laughing at us," she heard Gibbs say.

Kelly squeezed her hand. "Kate?"

"Yeah Kelly?"

"This has been the best summer ever!" Kelly told her, and she grinned, fighting back the tears that were threatening to make an appearance. Even the knowledge that the summer would end eventually couldn't dampen the blaze of love for Kelly and for Gibbs glowing in Kate right then.

 **XNCISX**

The foursome had scattered to do their various tasks to ready themselves to host everyone for dinner. Kate was finishing up slicing strawberries for a fruit salad, when someone dangled a cherry in front of her face. She shrieked, batting it away, and turned around to confront whoever had decided to surprise her with her least favorite fruit.

It was Meredith, giving her a cheeky grin. "Hey Kate," she said smugly.

Kate rolled her eyes. "You're lucky I didn't stab you, surprising me the way you did."

"You look very at home in Gibbs's kitchen," Mer teased.

"And you are not nearly as subtle as you think you are," Kate replied, moving onto the peaches, resolutely ignoring Meredith, who was currently eating from a bag of cherries. "Where's Drew?"

"In the back, probably gossiping with Mr. Bernard."

"He goes by Teddy."

"So you know him?" Mer asked.

Kate turned to her, making a face. "You know, when you ask me for gossip, you sound a lot like Drew's mom."

Mer cringed. "Anyway… speaking of you being at home in Gibbs's kitchen…"

"Nice subject change. And before you say it, yes I know, you learned from me."

"Have the two of you slept together yet?" Mer asked.

"What?" Kate asked, the knife slipping. She swore in French – having picked up the phraseology from Teddy and Gibbs who'd taught her a few curse words that she could say in front of Kelly – as the blood started flowing.

"Ooh. Sorry about that. You and Gibbs. You've been dancing around each other for ages, and I was seriously considering locking you in the boatshed to sort that shit out."

Kate stuck her bleeding thumb in her mouth, and glared at her friend. And then she took it out to ask her own question. "Have you told Drew yet?"

"Told him what?"

Kate threw up her hands in frustration, spattering one of the cupboards with blood. "What do _you_ think?"

"About the baby."

"You can't wait too much longer or he'll figure it out himself!" Kate told her. "And he'll be hurt if he knew you knew and didn't tell him!"

"I do hope I'm not hearin' shoutin' in here," Gibbs said, walking in, and frowning when he saw the blood on his cupboards. "Is this an active crime scene?"

"No," Kate told him. "But leave me in here too much longer and it might be."

He grinned, and then saw her bleeding thumb. "Jesus, Kate, what happened? Mer, can you finish up with the fruit salad? I've gotta get a Band-Aid on this."

"You're remarkably unsettled at one bloody thumb," Kate told him. "Considering you're a federal agent."

"Usually I don't know the victim. C'mon, let's go to the boatshed. I've got a first aid kit there."

She opened her mouth to ask why they couldn't just go into the bathroom, but then realized he probably wanted to get her alone. Mer's words from a few minutes prior flew through her head, and she smiled to herself. Once they were in the boatshed, the evening sunlight pouring in through the dust-streaked windows, he set to work bandaging her thumb for her while she sat on the workbench. Once he was done, he lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a very brief kiss to the injured digit. She smiled at him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Katie… listen, I…" he started, but she cut him off.

"Gibbs, will you come to Dan's wedding with me? As… as my date?" she asked.

He blinked, and then snorted. "Isn't it my job to ask?"

"You were taking too long," she teased. "What do you say, Gibbs?"

"Well, if it gets Dan off your back," he told her absentmindedly.

She laughed. "That's not really a good reason."

"Well I can think of some good ones, if ya want," he told her, and she grinned. "Let's see… you're gonna look beautiful… you're probably gonna have to give a speech… and I get to dance the night away with ya. Sounds perfect… don't it?"

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but at least one of my dances is reserved for your daughter," she told him.

"Even better," he said, taking her hands in his. "Yeah, Katie. I will be your date to this wedding."

"Perfect."

"Perfect," he agreed, meeting her eyes. Without hesitation, they both leaned in. She let go of his hands to wrap her arms around him, as he took a step closer, so that he was standing between her legs, kissing her fiercely. It was a _yes_ and _yes_ and _yes_ again. Whatever came next. Maybe it was insignificant, and maybe it was only for one summer, but Gibbs had her now, and by God he was going to savor every second. So involved in what they were doing, they didn't hear the door to the boat shed open.

"Oh my god!"

They pulled apart, Kate already the color of a tomato, and they turned, only to see Meredith and Drew grinning at them.

"Seems I didn't need to lock you in shed after all," Mer said. "Did a pretty good job of it yourselves."

"Oh shut up Mer," Kate said, and Gibbs winked at her. Drew was watching them, and he looked concerned. "Oh, were you planning on using this shed for something?" she asked innocently.

"We were just looking for somewhere quiet to talk… and your brother just arrived. With a surprise."

"Oh boy," Kate said, and she and Gibbs exchanged a look. "Maybe Edie's pregnant."

"Let's hope not," Gibbs said. The message he and Kate shared without speaking was _one pregnancy is enough right now._

"Well," Kate said brightly. "We'll leave you to it."

"I think dinner is almost ready!" Drew called after her.

They walked out of the boat shed, hand in hand, only to find Dan and Edie sitting at the picnic table with another person. Kate blinked at their companion, her hand going slack in Gibbs's. He turned to her. "You good, Katie?"

Rachel stood up, upon seeing her sister emerge from the shed. "Hey there, baby sister," she said, walking over and hugging Kate.

"Rach," Kate said, stunned. She pulled away. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm doing fine, Kate, how are you?" Rachel asked, laughing. "I came for the wedding, what else?"

"Dinner is ready!" Teddy called, jolting Kate out of the fog she was in. One thing she hadn't expected was to see her big sister back in Lake Allen. She gestured to Gibbs. "Rachel, this is Leroy Jethro Gibbs, my boyfriend."

He blinked surprised at being introduced in such a way, but held out his hand. "It's a pleasure."

"Hi, I'm Rachel, I'm Kate's older sister."

"Manning the barbecue is Teddy, Gibbs's friend from the Marines, and the adorable girl is Kelly, Gibbs's daughter."

Teddy waved from the barbecue, before walking over, carrying the tray of food, and set it down on the table. "We're missing some people," he said worriedly. "Was it something we said? Something we didn't say?"

Dan gave him a strange look. "You know, Teddy, this is gonna sound weird but you remind me of someone."

"I get that a lot."

Kate and Dan exchanged a shrug, and he shrugged. She smiled, glad to know that he'd felt it too.

"Mer!" Kate called.

Meredith and Drew walked out of the shed, and Kate grinned when she saw the look of stunned surprise on Drew's face. Only she could see that there was something stronger than surprise: elation. Meredith and Drew got to the table, sitting down along with everyone else, and Meredith tapped a spoon against her glass. Everyone looked at them. "We can eat in a second – and Teddy this looks _amazing,_ I'm starving – but first we have a little announcement to make… some good news to share."

"Well?" Teddy asked.

"Drew and I… are going to have a baby," she said, eliciting cheers and excitement from the rest of the gathered group. Kelly ran over and jumped at Drew. Caught unaware, he was knocked face-first into the raspberry pie sitting on the table in front of him. Everyone else just applauded, laughing.

Gibbs and Teddy exchanged a look, and both started laughing hysterically. "Waiter!" Teddy called, in between snorts. "There's a clerk in my pie!"

"That's it!" Kate said, snapping her fingers. "That's who you remind me of?"

"Cary Grant?" he asked, innocently.

"Yes!" Dan said, understanding. "Of course!"

"Hawkeye Pierce!" she said, pointing at him.

He blinked, and grinned. "Thanks, I think."

Meredith was wiping pie off of her husband's face. "Who needs a baby?" she asked, as she did so. "I can just do this, and it's like having kids."

"Yes, but our kids probably won't do this," Drew said, leaning in and kissing her.

Among the wolf whistles and chants of "Speech! Speech!" the rowdy crowd almost missed Gibbs tapping a spoon against his own glass.

He stood up, and they fell silent. "I just wanna propose a toast. I didn't know most of ya before I came here, and it's been… good. And ya don't waste good. A toast. To new family, and to found family." He held up a glass.

As they all toasted, Kate met his eyes, and he knew that even for a bastard, poor with words, he said the right thing, and spoken the truth: he had found a family.


	15. Chapter 15

The knock on the door came just as she was putting in her earrings, and she quickly checked her watch as the door creaked open. "Hey sis," Dan said, sticking his head around the door. "You busy?"

"Well, Gibbs is supposed to pick me up in five minutes," she said, absentmindedly as she tightened her ponytail. "What's up?"

"You and Gibbs are going out tonight?" he asked, easily sidetracked.

"Well, it's either that, or I stay here and Rachel analyzes me all night, which will drive me to drink. And I'm working tomorrow, so I need to be sober." She turned to him. "So yes, Gibbs and I are going out tonight."

He grinned. "So I shouldn't wait up for you… young lady do I need to establish a curfew?"

"Very funny coming from _you,_ Dan, considering it was you and Edie who were out until three in the morning last night" she said, as he walked in, flopping on her bed.

"You noticed?"

" _You_ may have been drunk, brother dear, but _I_ was the one who let you in. And by the way, despite what you told me last night, _Beauty and the Beast_ is not a good song for when Edie walks down the aisle."

He looked surprised. "I told you that?"

"Yes. While I was helping you up the stairs."

"Oh right. Well don't expect me to return the favor."

"Kelly is going to be with us, so I can guarantee that nothing is going to happen, Dan."

"So much for scoring," he joked.

She rolled her eyes. " _Anyway,_ " she said. "We're going to the drive-in for the double feature."

"Oh? What's playing? I mean, this isn't a date, it's more like a family outing," he joked. "You bought the boyfriend, got the daughter free." He was clutching a pillow to his chest, and rolled over to look at her, resembling a kid at a sleepover.

"She's not my daughter, Dan."

"Well what does she mean to you?" he asked, managing to notice her evasion immediately.

She threw up her hands. "What does it matter? And as for what's playing… it's not just a double feature, it's a _Disney_ double feature. First movie is some animated thing with Michael J. Fox that Kelly wanted to see. Second one has Julie Andrews in it, which is enough motivation for me to go."

"It's really hard to get sexy in the backseat at a Disney movie," Dan said wistfully. "Never mind _two_ of them."

"First off, you never know if you don't try." Kate made a face. "And second, you heard me say that Kelly is going to be there, right?"

"I did."

"Are you done being immature now?" she asked. "Because I do hope you came in here for a better reason than harassing me about going out with Gibbs and Kelly."

"I did actually," he said, sobering up. He sat up, discarding the pillow. "Kate, there's something I want to ask you."

"Uh oh," she said lightly. "Sounds serious."

"Come here." He patted the bedspread beside him, and she went and sat down. "I know this is kind of on short notice, but I wouldn't want anyone else."

"Dan, what…?"

"And before you say know, just know that you're my favorite sibling, and I'd never ask you to do it if I didn't think you were one hundred percent the right person for the job-,"

"Dan, what are you babbling about?" she asked.

"I want you to be my best person at my wedding," he told her.

"What?" Whatever she'd been expecting, it hadn't been that. "You mean, like… your best man?"

"Yes, only last I checked, you're not a man," he told her.

"Are you sure about this, Dan? What does Edie think?" she asked, still surprised by his request.

"Edie fully supports it. She really likes you, you know."

"I like her," she admitted. "But Dan, I…"

"I know there's only a week left but I know you can write a great speech and there is no one else I trust as much as you."

"Won't Rachel be hurt?" she asked, grasping at straws.

His face fell. "You don't want to do it, do you?"

"Dan, of course I want to do it," she reassured him, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Just not sure I'm worthy."

"You're not worthy," he said with a grin. "You're my sister." And then she couldn't take it anymore, pulling him into a quick hug.

"Thank you, Dan. And yes, I will. I'll be your best person."

"Yes!" he said, pulling away as a horn honked outside. "Give Romeo a kiss for me!"

"Give Juliet a kiss from _me_!" she retorted, before kissing him on the cheek, and hurrying down the stairs and out the door, ignoring the shouted inquiries from Rachel about where she thought she was going. She didn't relax again until she was sitting in the Jeep with Gibbs, the radio turned down, so that the song playing was barely a whisper. "Hey guys," she said cheerfully.

Gibbs leaned in for a kiss, but afterwards, his brow furrowed like she was a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out when she pulled away. "Everythin' okay?" he asked.

"Absolutely," she told him firmly, before turning up the radio. "Now come on! We have a movie to catch!"

 **XNCISX**

There was something about going to see a movie on an outdoor screen that was just quintessentially summer, even if it involved mosquitos and having to walk for a good five minutes to grab popcorn from the concession stand. The smell of bug spray and sunscreen mixed with the woodsy smell and the butter from the popcorn made for a heady combination. The sun had sunk behind the trees, and Kelly was sitting in a lawn chair in front of the Jeep, while Kate and Gibbs were sitting in the trunk, among a nest of blankets. Kate had wrapped herself in a blanket and was currently shivering, though she was at least trying to pay attention to the movie. She liked Disney movies, she was just currently distracted by the painful goosebumps she was sporting.

Gibbs shot a look her way. "Katie… you good?"

"I'm fine. A little chilly," she responded. "I was so caught up talking to Dan that I forgot to grab a sweater. So you can yell at him when I come down with hypothermia."

"I'll yell at both of ya," he retorted.

"I'd rather you didn't. Chill." She chuckled at her own weak pun, and he just rolled his eyes in the dim.

"Here," he said, passing her a sweater from the backseat. "Use this."

"Thanks."

"I'll want that back, ya know."

"You're not getting it back," she told him, her voice muffled as she pulled it over her head. It smelled like coffee, sawdust and something that was quintessentially Gibbs.

"How long have ya been sittin' there shivering?" he asked once she had the sweater pulled over her head, and he looked concerned.

"Most of the movie," she muttered.

"Katie, ya shoulda said something!" he protested, loud enough that Kelly turned around to glare at him. He gave her a sheepish smile, before turning back to Kate, who had pulled the hood up over her head. He grinned at her, before pulling the drawstrings tightly, and tying them in a knot so that her face wasn't visible. He started laughing, and all she did was sigh.

Kelly climbed into the trunk. "Can you two act like grown-ups for once?" she demanded. "I'm trying to watch the movie!"

"What are ya talkin' about, kiddo?" Gibbs asked, before gesturing to Kate. "The movie's almost over, and we're just havin' some fun."

"I knew I shouldn't have left you two alone up here unsupervised," she said darkly, and Gibbs had to hide a smile as she went back to her lawn chair.

"This has been fun," Kate said, her voice muffled, and that set him off laughing again. After a second, he realized she was laughing too. "How'd you like it if I returned the favor in kind?"

"Wouldn't be my favorite way to spend an evening," he admitted.

"Yeah yeah," she said, fumbling with the strings of the hoodie. "Are you gonna untie me or what?"

"What, do you prefer handcuffs?" he teased.

She fell silent at that, and then snorted. "Well I guess you'll never know."

"Aw Katie," he said, loosening the knot. "Ya don't mean that." She finally managed to reveal her face and he leapt away in mock surprise. "Ah! There you are, Katie," he said with a grin.

"Keep that up and I'll leave before the second movie," she threatened, and just her luck, that was when the credits started rolling.

"You can't," came a voice from the lawn chair, as Kelly stood up. "Because I want you to come with me while I get some more popcorn."

"Ya got money for that?" Gibbs asked, as Kate extricated herself from the blankets she was wrapped in, and crawled out of the trunk, looking as undignified as possible.

Kelly gave them a guilty look. "I don't have money. I'm ten," she informed him.

Kate laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "C'mon Kelly, my treat."

Kelly lit up. "Really?"

"Aw, you've done it now, Katie. She'll love ya forever… and all it took was some food."

"He likes to think that," Kelly told her as they walked away. "But the truth is that I love you anyway."

"Thanks Kelly," she told her, smiling down at her. "Good to know."

They walked in silence for a few seconds, and then Kelly spoke up. "Kate, thanks for the art gallery."

"What?" she asked, turning to her.

"I forgot to thank you. Bad manners. Blame me, not dad," she told her with a bit of a smile. "But that was awesome!"

"Tell you what, Kelly, you can return the favor by making your dad take you to the National Art Gallery in DC when you guys are home."

Kelly pulled Kate's hand into hers. "Maybe you could take me?" she suggested.

"Kelly…" Kate started, but seeing the young girl looking up at her was doing funny things to her heart, so she stayed quiet. "… I'd like that," she admitted after a minute. "I just don't know…"

"You don't know what?" Kelly asked, as the neon glow of the snack bar appeared over the hill.

"Well, Kelly, you and your dad are going back to DC."

"In September," Kelly confirmed.

"And I have the flower shop," she told her, regretting every word. "I have to run it. It's my job."

"Kate… I don't know what dad thinks, but I know what I think, and I love you. And… I want you… to come back with us to DC."

Kate stopped in her tracks and turned to her. "What?"

"I never see Dad this happy!" she told her. "He's not happy all the time, but he's usually happy with you! And I'm happy with you… and I want all of us to be happy… as a family."

"Kelly, does your dad know you're talking to me about this?"

She looked down at her shoes. "No," she admitted.

"Sweetie, come here." She pulled Kelly into a hug. "I love you too, Kelly." Her mind was already racing. Gibbs didn't know that Kelly was telling her this. But Gibbs must have had some inkling of his daughter's wishes, right? "And if it was up to me, I…"

"Isn't it up to you?" Kelly asked as she pulled away.

Kate managed to keep the smile on her face. "Kelly, I've got the flower shop. And your dad might not want me to leave my life behind."

"He'd do it for you," Kelly muttered. "If you asked. I can tell."

"Well, I can tell your father loves his job, so I couldn't ask him to give it up for me. We've known each other for what, three months?"

"What does that have to do with it?" Kelly asked, and Kate could see that she wasn't going to budge. "When Dad was telling me about Mom he said that you don't need to know someone a long time to love them."

She stopped, because such a statement was so unlike Gibbs. "He really said that?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh. Right." She held open the door to the snack bar for Kelly. "Here you are."

"Thanks."

"So, what do you want?" Kate asked, as they made their way through the empty snack bar. "Popcorn… a hot dog… nachos with radioactive cheese?"

"Why is it radioactive?" Kelly asked, grinning.

"Because. I'm not even sure it's real cheese."

"I want popcorn. What are you getting?"

"Gummy worms. Probably." She blinked. "Wait, you _just_ want popcorn? Not six types of candy?" She pressed her hand to Kelly's forehead. "Are you feeling okay?"

Kelly ducked away, laughing. "Stop! I just want popcorn."

"Fine, fine." She pulled out her wallet. "Wait, let me guess… a large popcorn."

"Extra-large," Kelly reminded her.

"How could I forget?" she joked, as they made their way to the counter.

"And it's your treat," Kelly told her.

"Can you keep a secret?" Kate asked her. Kelly nodded, and she continued. "I know the owner so I get a special discount."

"You know the owner? That's so cool!"

"Yeah, he was best friends with my grandma for the longest time," she told her, and they stepped up to the counter.

The owner, an old man who looked worried was speaking on the phone. "Yes, I saw her with her boyfriend when they came in… of course, I'll let her know immediately. You're where? Oh okay. I'll be sure to let her know. Yes. Just hang on young man. Everything is going to be okay."

"Hey Casey," Kate said, as he hung up the phone. He turned around, and while she thought he'd be happy to see her, the customer service smile he'd slapped on at her appearance slipped.

"Caitlin," he said.

"Since when do you call me Caitlin?" she asked, lightly, but frowned as he stepped around the counter. "What's wrong, Casey?"

"That was young Mr. Brennan who just called here looking for you. He said he tried your house first, but when he heard you were out, he called here."

"What's going on?" she asked, feeling herself go weak at the knees. "Is it Meredith?"

Casey nodded solemnly, and Kate found herself leaning against the counter, weak. Kelly grabbed her hand. "Kate?" she asked.

Kate swallowed hard, knowing she had to stay calm in front of Kelly. It was all coming back, the feeling of helplessness. "What happened?"

"Andrew said she collapsed," he said. "He took her to Greene County General."

"I… I have to go see her," Kate said, as it was the only coherent thought in her head.

"I'm sorry Caitlin," he told her. And it was like a punch to the stomach as she remembered the last time he'd said it; standing in front of a freshly dug grave as Meredith squeezed her hand hard enough to cut off the circulation.

"It's… It doesn't matter. We have to go. Thank you, Casey," she told him.

"Take care of yourself, Caitlin," he told her, and then slid the bag of popcorn across the counter. "Take it to go."

 **XNCISX**

"Drew!" she called, having found him pacing nervously in a waiting room.

He looked up in relief, and she could see that he was grateful to see her. Another wave of déjà vu hit her, as she remembered other late-night phone calls and suffering and endless hospital corridors, the constant sting of disinfectant burning in her nose. "Kate," he said, and she pulled him into a hug. "Meredith told me not to call when we were in the ambulance, said that she didn't want to ruin your night, but I knew you'd want to know, and I'm sorry-,"

"How is she?" Gibbs asked, as he pulled away.

"I don't know, they won't let me see her!" Drew said, fiddling with his wedding ring. "She just… we were talking about the catering for the wedding, and she just… passed out. And I don't know if it's the baby, or… or…" He looked close to tears, and Kate pulled him back into a hug.

"It's okay, Drew. We're here. How long have you been here?"

"About two hours. I'm sorry," he told her, and she exchanged a look with Gibbs, before kissing Drew on the cheek.

"It's okay. You don't have to apologize. I'm glad you called. And I almost wish you'd called sooner."

"But-,"

"No buts."

"Drew," Gibbs said. "I'm gonna go get some coffee… I feel like we're in for a long night. Want to join?"

Drew glanced at the door, and sighed. "I guess…They're still running tests. And it won't take long?"

"Nah. C'mon. You need a distraction. Kelly, see if ya can find anythin' good on TV, huh?"

"Sure dad. C'mon Kate," Kelly grabbed her hand and tugged her over to the uncomfortable waiting room chairs.

Gibbs and Drew made their way down the hall to the cafeteria, which miracle of miracles, was still open.

"Thanks, Gibbs," Drew told him as they stood in line.

He shrugged. "Don't mention it." He looked over the younger man. "You holdin' up okay?"

Drew snorted. "My wife is in the hospital, my baby could be in danger, and you're asking me if I'm holding up okay?"

"Okay, stupid question… I know what ya must be goin' through."

"Do you?" he asked.

"Well, yeah. Shannon, my wife, she… she had a rough pregnancy too. Almost lost Kelly once or twice."

"Really?" Drew asked. "I had no idea."

"Not a fan of talkin' about my personal life," he told him, as he clapped him on the shoulder. "But Drew… they're worth it."

"I know, Gibbs, but… God… this is a nightmare," Drew said, before burying his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, I'm such a mess."

"It's okay. Meredith is gonna be fine, Drew."

"Talk is cheap," he retorted, wiping at his eyes.

"Havin' a little faith isn't a bad thing," he told him. "Just breathe. Things are gonna be okay. Mer is gonna be fine, Oggy is gonna be fine."

Once they had their coffees, Gibbs led Drew over to one of the rickety cafeteria tables. "Gibbs?" Drew asked.

"Yeah?"

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"How do you… be a dad?" Drew asked. "I have no idea what I'm doing, and Oggy isn't even here yet."

"Ya got time to learn, Drew."

"But I… we didn't plan this kid, Gibbs. And we're too young, and-,"

"Shut it," Gibbs told him. "No first-time parent has any clue what they're doing. And 'sides, you're not that young. Look, Drew, do you want this kid?"

"Yes," he answered immediately. "Of course I do."

"Then the rest is detail," Gibbs told him.

"I barely even know Oggy… and yet the thought of losing them… or Mer… I can't… I couldn't handle it."

"Ya do anything for your kids," Gibbs said thoughtfully, taking a sip of his coffee. "Anythin'. An' that includes goin' on when ya think you can't. Because even if you never wanna get out of bed again, ya have someone else depending on you… someone _you_ made."

"Is that what it was like when you lost Shannon?" Drew asked.

Gibbs nodded, wordless. "Dunno what I woulda done if I hadn't had Kelly, but… everyone has a reason to keep goin', and Kelly, my little girl… she is my reason."

"You know, Gibbs, if I end up being half the father you are, I'll consider that a lifetime achievement," Drew told him, and then sighed. "If I get to be a father."

"You will be," Gibbs told him. "And if not now, then eventually. You an' Mer are gonna have a baby, _and_ you're gonna be good parents."

"You sound awfully sure of yourself," Drew told him.

"Call it gut instinct," Gibbs said. "And ya wanna know how to be a parent, Drew? This is how: ya take it one day at a time, and do the best ya can. Because that's all you can do." He clapped him on the shoulder. "Better go. Kate will want her coffee."

"I shouldn't have called her," Drew said, as they made their way back down the hall.

"Whaddaya mean?"

"This has gotta be bringing back bad memories for her," he said softly. "From when her grandma was ill."

"Well, Drew think of it this way. Think of how mad she'd be if you hadn't called."

Drew cringed. "True." He reached out to push open the door, but Gibbs threw a hand out to stop him, holding a finger to his lips.

There was a conversation going on between Kate and Kelly inside, and while Gibbs felt guilty for eavesdropping, it didn't stop him from doing it anyway.

"Kate?"

"Yes sweetie?"

"What is this?"

They heard Kate laugh. "Well, Kelly, remember how my brother's middle name is Hawkeye?"

"Yeah?" She sounded confused.

"Well that guy right there is who he's named after."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"How did you know what channel it was on?"

"Oh, well… my grandmother spent a lot of time in this hospital… and so I'd keep her company. I don't know if you have a special thing you watch with your dad, but my grandma and I always watched this together. It was our special thing."

"Do you still watch it?"

"Sometimes when it's late and I miss her… it's not the same without her."

"Well, I'll watch it with you, if you come back with us."

He heard Kate laugh. "Are you bribing me, Kelly?"

"… A little. I'll watch anything with you if it means coming back with us. I want you to stay with us, Kate, and maybe even forever."

"Sweetheart," Kate started.

"Please?"

Gibbs was surprised, but managed to school his features into a neutral mask as he opened the door. "One cup of lousy hospital coffee," he said, as he walked over and handed it to her. "Complete with cream and sugar."

"Thanks." She sniffed it. "Ick. This stuff smells like it was percolated in a boot."

"I thought my socks were wet," Gibbs joked as he sat down beside her. "It's a _M*A*S*H_ kinda night, huh?"

"Old standby," Kate told him. They shared a smile over Kelly's head.

Kelly yawned, still clutching her bag of popcorn from the drive-in, though it was mostly empty at that point. Drew settled in on the nearby couch, and the four of them watched the show in comfortable silence.

"Didn't take you for a fan," he told her.

"Of course I'm a fan. My brother's middle name is Hawkeye. You could have guessed that."

"Well I do hate to be wrong," he told her.

 **XNCISX**

They'd been sitting together in silence for a while, when the door opened. Drew shot up off his chair like he'd been shot from a cannon, his fear written all over his face, and showing in the tension in his shoulders.

The woman, dressed in scrubs, smiled at him. "Are you Mr. Brennan?"

"I am. Where's my wife? Is she okay? Can I see her, please?" he asked, frantically as he crossed the room to where she stood.

"Mr. Brennan," she told him warmly. "Your wife is fine. We're just keeping her overnight for observation. You're welcome to go and see her."

"And is the baby okay?" he asked.

"The baby is fine, your wife is fine… come with me, and you can see her."

Drew turned to them, but Kate made a shooing gesture. "Go on. Give her a kiss from us," Kate told him, before yawning.

Gibbs gave him a nod, and Drew smiled hesitantly as he followed the nurse out of the room.

Kate checked her watch. "Oh God," she said, before another yawn slipped out. "It's so late. And I told my brother not to wait up."

Kelly was blinking, looking about as sleepy as Kate felt. Gibbs stood up, and felt a sudden rush of affection for both of them. _His girls._ "Come on, Katie. Mer is okay, so we should all get some rest."

"Okay." She was glad to leave the waiting room behind, as they made their way out to the Jeep. Once outside the hospital though, she was surprised as she looked up. "Wow."

He looked up too, and grinned at the sight of the stars spread across the heavens above, endless constellations spilling into eternity. "Wow is right," he agreed, and then wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "It's not much, but you can stay at my place."

She blinked. "Are you sure? You can drop me off, you know."

"Nah, no point wakin' your brother, sister and Edie up so late. I promise I'll be a gentleman," he said with a grin, as he unlocked the Jeep.

"I trust you," she told him, climbing in.

He leaned across the gearshift and kissed her. "I'm glad," he said, before yawning himself.

"Sorry our date was interrupted," she told him.

"No shame in bein' there for a friend," he said, as they took off. "I… uh… heard you an' Kelly talkin."

"You did?" she asked, alarmed, turning to him.

"Yeah. Well, part of it, anyway. Not the whole discussion."

"Right," she said, before shaking her head. "That's embarrassing."

"No, it's not. I'm guessin' ya spent a lot of time at that hospital."

"Plenty." She stopped, and then continued, her voice lower. "She broke her leg in February, and between Drew and Mer, and Casey, and a few other friends, she was able to manage. I couldn't… I couldn't get home, you know? And then I came home in March to look after her."

"And ya left a life behind," he said, understanding, reaching across and taking her hand, squeezing it once before releasing it.

"It was worth it for her, but by the end of April, it was too late. Treatments weren't working, the cancer was too rare… so I was there for the end at least."

"What about your brother and sister?"

"Rachel insisted her work was too important to leave behind," Kate said. "And Dan was off in England, an entire ocean too far to be useful. So I juggled the flower shop and the hospital visits, and… well. Here I am."

"Here you are," he agreed.

"I'd never complain," she said after a few moments of silence, and he chanced a look at her, in the dark. "I had her, and that was enough for me to keep going."

"I know what ya mean," he said, though he was surprised by the similarity in her words to his conversation with Drew. "I know… exactly what ya mean."

"Having you here," she started, and then stopped. She sighed, continuing, clearly conflicted with what she was saying. "It reminded me who I was before I was Jean's granddaughter, before I was the owner of the flower shop… who I was before I moved back."

"Maybe I didn't know ya before, but it doesn't matter who you are," he said. "Not to me."

"I don't… I don't need to be rescued or anything. I don't hate my life."

"I know. I didn't come here to rescue you. Came to build a boat. You were a bonus. An unexpected but completely welcome bonus," he told her.

"Ditto."

 **XNCISX**

She could hear the birds chirping outside the window before she was fully awake. She didn't open her eyes, content to revel in the warmth of the blankets she was wrapped in, before remembering where she was.

She opened her eyes and looked over at Gibbs, who was still fast asleep, hair sticking in all directions. He wasn't snoring at least, and looked younger in the early morning sunlight pouring through the window.

She stretched, vowing to go start making coffee – it had to have been percolating since the Revolutionary War, or Gibb refused to drink it – but as she stretched she accidentally whacked Gibbs in the gut.

He grunted in annoyance, and then his eyes opened, a very clear blue. And yet he smiled at her, despite the fact that she'd just smacked him. "Mornin' Katie."

"Good morning, Gibbs," she said, turning pink. Calling him Gibbs felt a little formal when they were lying in the same bed, but nothing… indecent had happened. They'd simply collapsed into bed upon getting back from the hospital.

"You sleep okay?" he asked, as he sat up, tossing his pillow aside. He was looking a little scruffy, and she wasn't sure when he'd last shaved, but he was all hers, and she was enjoying the view. He leaned over and kissed her lightly.

"Pew," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Your breath stinks. And yes, thanks, I slept fine."

"No nightmares?" he asked, purposefully breathing in her direction.

She walloped him with a pillow, and giggled as he pulled her into his lap. "No nightmares," she said.

"Good. Breakfast?" he asked.

"Sounds good to me."

He let go of her, dropping a final kiss on the top of her head, before disappearing downstairs, whistling. She lay there for a moment, clutching one of the pillows, still warm in her nest of blankets, before realizing that he was whistling as he made his way downstairs.

She grinned to herself, smiling into the pillow. Despite the bad memories that were slowly coming back as a result of the previous night, she almost felt okay. And while she'd never thought of herself as lonely, she'd forgotten how good it felt to wake up beside someone she loved- or at least cared about.

 _I could do this more often,_ she thought, as the smell of coffee wafted up the stairs, mixed with the sound of her boyfriend whistling in the kitchen.


End file.
